MEA Clarifies Status of Indian Navy Officer Detained in Qatar Espionage Case
New Delhi, 1st March. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) addressed the status of the eighth former Indian Navy officer who was previously sentenced to death by a Qatar court in an espionage case before being released. According to the MEA, the individual in question must fulfill certain requirements before returning to India.
During a press briefing, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “All 8 Indian nationals involved in the Al Dahra Global case have been released. Seven of them have returned to India…the eighth Indian national has certain requirements to fulfill. He will return as and when those are completed.”
The release comes amid ongoing efforts by the anxious family members and diplomatic channels to secure the safe return of the Navy veterans. The MEA had previously assured to mobilize all diplomatic channels and provide legal assistance to facilitate their return.
The Navy veterans, including Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Ragesh, were detained in August 2022.
Following a court ruling on December 28, 2023, the death penalty initially imposed on all eight men in October 2023 was commuted by Qatar’s Court of Appeal.
The individuals were accused of spying on a submarine program, with charges that had not been officially disclosed. Earlier engagements between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani included discussions on bilateral partnerships and the welfare of the Indian community in Qatar, held during the COP28 summit in Dubai.
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