A court in Qatar sentenced eight Indian Navy veterans to death on Thursday. The offenses, however, have not been made public. Continue reading to know more about the same.
What Really Happened?
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed amazement at the decision and said it was considering its legal options. According to preliminary information, the Court of First Instance of Qatar rendered a decision in the case of eight Indian workers of the Al Dahra company today, according to the MEA. “We are awaiting the whole verdict and are extremely surprised by the death penalty verdict. We are investigating all legal alternatives and staying in contact with the family and the legal team,” the statement continued.
On March 29, the trial’s first hearing took place. Family sources claimed they were unaware of the formal allegations under which the trial is being held. Furthermore, neither Qatari authorities nor Indian officials who have had consular access to the convicts said anything. Moreover, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar had informed Parliament that their detention was a “sensitive matter.” He said so in answer to a query about the government’s measures to secure their release.
The Eight Navy Veterans
The eight veterans — Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purenendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Ragesh — were working at Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services. DGTSCS is furthermore a defense services provider company owned by an Omani national and is a retired squadron leader of the Royal Omani Air Force. Along with the eight Indians, he was also taken into custody but was later freed in November.
The company’s website was taken down after this newspaper published the first media report on the arrests on October 28. The website moreover stated that it offered maintenance, logistics, and training services to the Qatari Emiri Naval Force. The company is now called Dahra Global. Furthermore, neither the seven officers who had executive positions in the company nor their affiliation with the QENF are mentioned on its redesigned website.
Honoring The Veterans
In 2019, Managing Director Commander Purnendu Tiwari (retd) was granted the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman award in recognition of his contributions to strengthening India-Qatar bilateral ties. Moreover, The only member of the armed forces to receive the award is him. Further, He was honored in Doha by P Kumaran, the Indian ambassador at the time and former chief of the International Military Cooperation of the Qatari defense forces. The Indian Cultural Centre hosted the event. Attending this event was Captain Kapil Kaushik of the Indian Navy. He was the time was the defense attaché at the Indian Embassy.
Additionally, the Dahra website had certifications from both Kumaran and his successor, Ambassador Deepak Mittal, of the Indian Embassy in Doha, who praised the company’s efforts in advancing the cause of amicable relations between the two nations. The majority of the guys had been employed by Dahra for four to six years at the time of their arrest.
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