In a significant diplomatic achievement, Qatar has released eight former Indian Navy personnel who were detained in the Gulf country on espionage charges. These veterans had been held in custody since August 2022. Here are the key points regarding this development:
Detention and Sentencing:
- The individuals involved, 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 taken into custody in August 2022.
- In October 2023, a Qatari court sentenced them to death.
- However, in a subsequent decision, the Court of Appeal in Qatar revised their sentences, opting to commute their penalties
Q: What was the reason for the detention of the Indian Navy personnel in Qatar?
- A) Drug trafficking
- B) Espionage
- C) Terrorism
- D) Illegal immigration
Ans : B) Espionage
