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Qatar Case: 8 Former Indian Navy Personnel Get 3-25 Years Of Jail Terms

Qatar Case: Among the seven former Navy officers and a sailor, one has received a prison term of 25 years, four of 15 years, two of 10 years and one of three years.

Outlook Web Desk

Updated on: 30 December 2023 10:56 am

External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi

The eight former Indian Navy personnel, whose death sentences were commuted by a Qatari court, are understood to have been awarded imprisonment of 3-25 years.

Among the seven former Navy officers and a sailor, one has received a prison term of 25 years, four of 15 years, two of 10 years and one of three years, according to persons familiar with the development, ET reported.

The Ministry of External Affairs has refused to comment on the matter, it said.

The report quoting MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: "At the moment, I do not have any additional information to share until we see the judgment, or the legal team gets to see the detailed judgment. Let me also emphasise the confidential nature of the case. I would urge again not to engage in speculation. The interest of the Indians and the family members is our foremost concern, so please bear with us. Let's find out exactly what it is.”

He added: “The sentences have been reduced, but until we have more details, I do not want to comment on it. We will, of course, be discussing the next possible steps with the legal team and the family members."

The eight men are Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commodore Amit Nagpal, Commodore Purnendu Tiwari, Commodore Sugunakar Pakala, Commodore Sanjeev Gupta and Sailor Ragesh.

Earlier, on October 26, Qatar’s Court of First Instance handed the death penalty to the veterans, who had been detained for over a year.

They were employed by the now-defunct Omani private firm Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services.

They were contracted for providing training and related services to Qatar’s armed forces.?

While the charges have never been made public, the reports hinted at the possibility of their being charged with espionage.

India had said that it was “deeply shocked” by the October verdict, but had even then refrained from making further comments.

Later, the Court of Appeal accepted for deliberations the Indian government’s appeal against the veterans’ death sentence.

With the commutation of their death sentences, the eight Indians become eligible for repatriation to India under the 2015 bilateral agreement for the transfer of sentenced persons, which allows prisoners to serve their sentence in their home country.