All-out effort to ensure return of veterans on death row in Qatar: Navy chief

In August of the previous year, authorities reportedly arrested Indian citizens working for the private company Al Dahra on suspicion of espionage. On Friday, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar announced that the government is actively working to bring back eight former naval personnel from Qatar, following their death sentences handed down by a Qatari court.

Admiral Kumar stated at a media briefing, “We are closely working to ensure that we look after their interests.”

He stated, “The government of India is exerting all-out efforts to bring them back.”

The Indian nationals were on October 26 given death sentence by Qatar’s Court of First Instance. India described the ruling as “deeply” shocking and vowed to explore all legal options in the case.

A higher court in Qatar has already admitted the plea filed against the death sentence. The legal team of the detained Indian nationals has filed the appeal.

In August of last year, authorities arrested the Indian nationals who worked with the private company Al Dahra, reportedly in an alleged case of espionage. Neither the Qatari authorities nor New Delhi made the charges against the Indian nationals public.

In its reaction to the ruling by the Qatari court, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) last month said that it is attaching “high importance” to this case and is exploring all legal options. The authorities filed charges against the eight Indian navy veterans on March 25, and they underwent trial under Qatari law.

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, former military officials had said. 

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