Who is Amit Gupta, Gujarat techie detained in Qatar since January?

An Indian techie, Amit Gupta, has been detained in Qatar for the last three months.

The Indian embassy in Qatar is aware of his detention, which is allegedly linked to an ongoing investigation.

The embassy is also in regular contact with Gupta’s family, his lawyer, and Qatari authorities, according to news agency PTI.

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Gupta was taken into custody by Qatari authorities on January 1.

But who is Amit Gupta, and why has he been detained by Qatari authorities?

We will answer these questions.

Explained: Who is Amit Gupta?

1. Amit Gupta is a senior employee at Indian IT company Tech Mahindra and has been detained in Qatar for three months.

2. Originally from Vadodara in Gujarat, he relocated to Qatar’s capital, Doha, in 2013.

3. For the past three years, Gupta has worked as the region head for Qatar and Kuwait at Tech Mahindra, overseeing business operations, according to a report by Mint.

4. Before assuming this role, he worked as a senior sales manager and client partner at the company, with nearly 12 years of experience at the Indian IT giant.

5. Prior to joining Tech Mahindra, Gupta spent three years at Nucleus Software Exports.

6. Earlier in his career, he was also employed as an assistant manager at Infosys.

7. Notably, Gupta holds a Bachelor of Technology (B.Tech) in Computer Science from the Malaviya National Institute of Technology, Jaipur.

8. He later completed a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Marketing and Systems from the International Management Institute (IMI) in New Delhi, according to his LinkedIn profile.

9. According to his parents, unidentified individuals took him away on January 1 while he was out for a meal.

10. His family, unaware of the reasons behind his detention, has appealed for help from the Prime Minister’s Office and other authorities.

Why Amit Gupta has been detained

The specific charges against Amit Gupta have not been disclosed.

However, multiple reports suggest that he has allegedly been detained in Qatar over accusations of data theft.

His family maintains that he is innocent and has been wrongfully accused. Gupta’s father said that Qatar’s state security detained the Tech Mahindra employee.

His wife and elderly parents are making desperate efforts to secure his release.

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During a media interaction, Gupta’s mother reiterated that her son was falsely accused. She also claimed that he was detained and held without food or water for 48 hours.

“He was kept seated for about 48 hours without food. He was then shifted to a room and has been kept there for nearly three months now,” his mother, Pushpa Gupta, told news agency IANS.

When asked if they knew why he was detained, she responded, “Someone in the company must have done something, he (Gupta) was arrested because he is the country head.”

She further revealed that the family receives a five-minute call from Gupta every Wednesday, their only means of contact. During these calls, he has only been able to say, “Get me out of here as soon as possible,” India Today reported.

“We recently went and stayed in Doha for a month. We were allowed to meet him for half an hour after the Indian ambassador’s intervention. He told us what he is going through,” she said.

The couple also recently sought help from Vadodara MP Hemang Joshi, who assured them he would raise the issue with the government.

According to sources familiar with the matter, Indian authorities are extending all possible assistance to Gupta, Hindustan Times reported.

How the company responded

A Tech Mahindra spokesperson stated that the company is supporting Gupta’s family and remains in “close contact” with them.

“We are actively coordinating with authorities in both countries and following the proper legal processes. The well-being of our colleague is our top priority,” the spokesperson told NDTV.

With inputs from agencies