Pardoned but still jailed in Qatar: Family of Indian Navy veteran appeals to PM Modi

In February 2024, as families gathered at Indian airports to welcome home seven Indian Navy veterans freed from death row in Qatar, one family waited in silence. Commander Purnendu Tiwari, a decorated former officer of the Indian Navy, was never allowed to board the flight home. Nearly two years later, he remains in jail in Doha, his family alleging that new financial charges were stitched together to keep him behind bars despite a royal pardon.

When Qatar pardoned eight Indian Navy veterans after the personal intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, their families believed the ordeal was finally over. But his octogenarian mother in India still waits for her son to come home. As his health deteriorates in a Doha jail, his family is now appealing directly to PM Modi for another intervention, calling his continued detention a matter of national honour.

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His sister, Meetu Bhargava, alleges that the CEO of Dahra Global used his influence to shift the entire financial blame onto her brother, and that authorities later forced him to sign an acknowledgement of his supposed involvement while he was in solitary confinement.

Speaking to Firstpost, Bhargava made an emotional plea, saying the 65-year-old Navy veteran, who suffers from multiple health issues, remains jailed without fault.

Long wait for return to home

Praising PM Modi’s direct intervention in the matter, she said, “Eight Indian Navy veterans were arrested in 2022 on baseless spying charges. All eight were pardoned by the Amir of Qatar following the intervention of Prime Minister Modi — Modi hai to mumkin hai [it’s possible, if Modi is around]. Yet only seven returned to India in February 2024. My brother, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, was stopped despite being similarly placed and part of the same company, Dahra Global,” Bhargava told Firstpost.

In August 2022, Commander Tiwari and seven other former Indian Navy personnel were detained in Doha during an investigation. In 2023, Qatar’s authorities sentenced them to death, though detailed formal charges were never publicly released.

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CEO shifted blame, new cases against Tiwari are false: Sister

“But why was my brother left behind? The CEO of the company, Khamis Al Ajmi, is the main culprit in the financial matter, yet he shifted the entire blame onto my brother,” she said.

“My brother was the managing director (technical), not the CEO. All financial powers and signing authority rested with the CEO, Mr Khamis. Despite this, new cases have been stitched together accusing my brother of financial fraud, which are completely false,” Bhargava said.

After retiring from the Navy, Tiwari joined Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private defence-related company that provides training and support to the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces.

Commander Purnendu Tiwari, a navigation specialist, has commanded INS Magar and served as the fleet navigating officer of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet. He has also served aboard Rajput-class destroyers. In 2019, he became the first armed forces veteran to be honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, presented by then-President Ram Nath Kovind.

‘Pressure of life and death’

“He was kept in solitary confinement and forced to sign papers in Arabic. When you are inside, you have no choice but to sign. There was immense pressure at that time — pressure of life and death, threats, and torture,” she said.

“The authorities are not sharing details with us as everything is in Arabic. These financial cases have been filed by blaming my brother for alleged mistakes that have nothing to do with him.”

Bhargava highlighted that seven other Navy veterans, including a sailor on the company’s board, were repatriated to India. “Their roles and financial authority were no different from my brother’s, yet only he has been left behind,” she said.

‘Cases against him are fabricated’

Bhargava appealed to the Indian government and PM Modi, emphasising her brother’s distinguished service, “The government should have faith in its officers who have served the country. My brother is a decorated Navy officer and a Pravasi Bharatiya Samman awardee, honoured by the President of India in 2019. All cases against him are fabricated and stem from the earlier case for which he was already pardoned.”

The family, frustrated over Tiwari’s detention in Doha, alleges that the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) took a chance in 2022 by leaving him back in Qatar. It says the decision proved costly for Tiwari. “The MEA made a serious mistake by leaving my brother alone and is now justifying it by citing a financial case. You should have faith in officers who have served the country,” Bhargava said.

Tiwari faces serious health issues: Family

Highlighting her brother’s deteriorating health, she said, “My brother is 65 years old and suffers from multiple health issues. He was taken into custody again on December 1 and has been in jail since December 6. He has been in jail for the past month despite serious medical problems, without any fault on his part.”

“Our mother is 87 years old and has been waiting for his return for the past three-and-a-half years,” she said.

The Government of India engaged diplomatically to secure their release. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally raised the matter with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. Following this intervention, the Emir granted pardons or commuted the sentences. Seven of the eight veterans were released and returned to India.

‘Bring your officer back. This is a matter of national honour’

Making a heartfelt plea, Bhargava said, “Please bring your officer back. This is a matter of national honour. I have nothing more to say except with folded hands — I beg the government to bring my brother back, and I make a humble request that he be brought back as well.”

Commander Tiwari is facing a travel ban due to the pending financial issue. Ironically, he was not questioned about the issue for long until December’s questioning and arrest.

In its earlier statements, the MEA said that there were certain requirements to fulfil, and Tiwari would return home once those are completed. The release of the eight naval veterans was viewed as one of the biggest diplomatic coups by India.

These eight people were working for a company called Dhara Consultancies, owned by the Omani Emir Bhargava accused of shifting the blame onto Tiwari for the alleged financial fraud. Qatar’s interior minister picked them up from their houses in August 2022, and detained them until their release in February 2024, overruling a death penalty.