Qatar Court Sentences 8 Ex-Indian Navy Personnel to Death: What's the Charge & Timeline of Case

Eight former Indian Navy personnel have been sentenced to death by a court in Qatar, a verdict that was described as “deeply shocking” by India as it vowed to explore all legal options in the case.

The Indian nationals, who worked with private company Al Dahra, were arrested in August last year reportedly in an alleged case of espionage.

The former Indian Navy personnel are Captain Saurabh Vashisht, Commander Purenendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh, according to people familiar with the matter.

Neither the Qatari authorities nor the Indian government have made the charges against the eight nationals public. In its reaction, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said it is attaching “high importance” to this case and is exploring all legal options.

What is the Case Against the Indian Nationals?

The eight Indians worked for a private firm, Dahra Global Technologies, and Consultancy Services, which provided training and other services for Qatar’s armed forces. According to a report in NDTV, the company was owned by a retired squadron leader of the Royal Oman Air Force, Khamis al-Ajmi. Ajmi too was arrested along with the Indians last year, but was released in November.

Though the Qatar authorities have not made the charges public, reports claimed that the eight men were allegedly arrested for espionage. The Qatari authorities, after keeping the eight former naval officers in detention for months, revealed they were spying on Qatar’s secret submarine program for Israel. The charges were filed against the Navy veterans on March 25 and they were tried under Qatari law.

Moreover, their bail petitions had been rejected several times and the verdict against them was pronounced on Thursday by the Court of First Instance in Qatar.

All of the former Navy officers had “unblemished stints” of up to 20 years in the Indian Navy and had held important positions including that of instructors in the force. The former personnel had impeccable service records and had taken voluntary retirements in search of greener pastures.

What Has India Said?

The Ministry of External Affairs has said that they are deeply shocked by the verdict and waiting for the detailed judgement. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,” it said.

The MEA said it will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance to the Indians. “We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities,” it said in a statement.

The MEA said it would “not be appropriate to make any further comments at this juncture” due to the “confidential nature of the proceedings”. India’s ambassador to Qatar met the men in prison on October 1 after being granted consular access.

Timeline of the Case

1. August 30, 2022: The eight Nay men, along with two others, were taken into custody on unspecified charges and put under solitary confinement.
2. September 2022: The first bail plea of the jailed officers was held a month after they were picked. However, the plea was rejected
3. October 1, 2022: India’s Ambassador in Doha and Deputy Head of Mission met the eight naval veterans, according to The Indian Express.
4. October 3, 2022: the first Consular access was granted. The CEO of Dahra Global Khamis al-Ajmi was also himself arrested. He spent two months in solitary confinement after which he was released on bail.
5. March 2023: The last of multiple bail pleas filed for the veterans was rejected. The charges were also filed against the eight Indian citizens. The trial begins under Qatari law.
6. May 30, 2023: The company was shut down in May this year. All former employees, as many as 75 Indian nationals, returned home.
7. June 2023: The second trial was conducted in June this year, according to Al Jazeera.
8. August 4, 2023: The arrested men get some relief after they were shifted from solitary confinement and put in a jail ward with their colleagues, with two men to each cell.
9. October 26, 2023: The Indian Ambassador to Qatar met the men in prison on October 1 after being granted consular access. However, the court on October 26 awarded death penalty to all eight men.

(With inputs from agencies)