MEA on Dahra Global case in Qatar: India waiting for detailed judgment; will discuss with legal team, families

A day after a Qatar court commuted the death sentence of eight former Indian Navy personnel, the Indian government Friday informed it will now be discussing the next possible steps with the legal team and family members. An appellate court in Qatar Thursday reduced the death sentence of eight ex-navy personnel, arrested in an alleged case of espionage in August 2022. The verdict by the Qatar court was seen as a big diplomatic win for India as it came weeks after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meeting with Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, on 1 December, on the sidelines of the COP28 Summit in Dubai. They After the meeting on December 1, PM Modi said he discussed the well-being of the Indian community in Qatar with Al-Thani. Also Read: Dahra Global case in Qatar: Death sentences of 8 ex-Indian Navy personnel reduced “The sentences have been reduced but I don’t have any additional information to share until we see the detailed judgment. We would urge you again not to engage in speculation. The interests of Indians and their family members is our foremost concern,” Arindam Bagchi, spokesperson, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday.

#WATCH | On Qatar court commuting death sentence of 8 Indian ex-Navy personnel, MEA Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi says, "The sentences have been reduced but I don't have any additional information to share until we see the detailed judgment. We would urge you again not to engage in… pic.twitter.com/PqJHDq2pgA

— ANI (@ANI) December 29, 2023

The former Indian Navy veterans were working with Doha-based Al Dahra Global Technologies. They were taken into custody in August 2022. On 25 March this year, the charges were filed against the eight men after which the trial began on 29 March. The charges against them were not made public by Qatari authorities, but they were sentenced to death by Qatar’s Court of First Instance in October this year. Also Read: Qatar commutes death sentence for eight Navy veterans. What happens next? India had moved the Court of Appeal in Qatar against the death sentence last month. Al Dahra Global Technologies, which was a private firm, provided training and other services to Qatar’s armed forces and security agencies. In May 2023, Dahra Global closed down its operations in Doha and all employees – primarily Indians – have since returned home. Who are 8 ex-Navy veterans arrested in Qatar? The eight Indian Navy veterans held in Qatar are Captain Navtej Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commanders Purnendu Tiwari, Amit Nagpal, SK Gupta, BK Verma, Sugunakar Pakala, and Sailor Ragesh. Captain Navtej Gill was awarded the President’s Gold Medal for excellence when he graduated from the Naval Academy and later served as an instructor at the Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Tamil Nadu. With inputs from agencies