Qatar Frees 8 Jailed Navy Veterans, Months After Commuting Death Sentence
New Delhi: Eight Indian Navy veterans jailed in Qatar over alleged spying charges have been released, the government said early this morning. Seven of them are already back in India after an 18-month jail stay in the Middle-East country.
Navy Veterans Finally Return Home
After months of uncertainty, the release of eight Indian Navy veterans imprisoned in Qatar has brought relief to their families and the nation as a whole. Seven out of the eight relieved veterans have already arrived back in India after serving an arduous 18-month sentence.
The Government Expresses Gratitude
The Indian government expressed its appreciation for the decision of the Amir of the State of Qatar to allow the release and repatriation of the Indian nationals. A statement from the foreign ministry read, “We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals.”
An Unexpected Release
The eight navy veterans were unaware of their impending release and were taken by embassy officials to an IndiGo flight shortly after their liberation. They were brought back to India in the early hours of the morning, much to the joy of their families and loved ones.
The Arrest and Detention
The Indian 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 arrested in August 2022 on alleged spying charges. They had been imprisoned in Qatar since then.
Purpose of their Visit to Qatar
Employed by the private firm Dahra Global, the veterans were in Qatar to assist with the introduction of Italian U212 stealth submarines into the Qatari Emiri Naval Force in their respective capacities.
Controversial Verdict
In a shocking turn of events, a Qatari court delivered a death sentence to the Indian Navy veterans on October 26, 2023. The Indian government expressed deep shock regarding the verdict and vowed to explore all legal options available.
Commuted to Jail Term
In December, the capital punishment was commuted after a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai. This development led to a sense of hope and the eventual release of the veterans, who expressed their gratitude towards PM Modi and the Indian government for their safe return.
Gratitude towards PM Modi
The relieved Navy veterans expressed their heartfelt appreciation for the personal intervention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. They credited the Prime Minister’s equation with Qatar and the relentless efforts of the Indian government for their safe return after going through 18 months of hardship. They emphasized that this day of freedom would not have been possible without the sincere efforts made by PM Modi and the Indian government.
