Eight Indian nationals were sentenced to death in Qatar, accused of spying for Israel. These individuals were former naval officers working for the Al Dahra company on a submarine project for Qatari authorities when they were detained over a year ago.
The Indian Navy veterans, who were arrested in August 2022, are Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht and Sailor Ragesh Gopakumar.
- The Ministry of External Affairs of India is exploring legal options and intends to take up the matter with Qatari officials.
- The exact charges and allegations against the group remain unclear, with limited details provided by both countries.
- According to an unnamed source, the individuals were involved in training the Qatari navy and were sentenced to death for alleged espionage by Qatar’s Court of First Instance.
- The Indian Ministry of External Affairs expressed shock at the verdict of the death penalty for the former Navy staffers and is in contact with the family members and legal team, exploring all legal options and providing consular and legal assistance. They also plan to raise the verdict with Qatari authorities.
Q.: Recently eight Indian nationals were sentenced to death in Qatar, in what capacity they were working in Qatar when they were detained?
a) Medical professionals
b) Construction workers
c) Former naval officers
d) Diplomats
Ans : c) Former naval officers
