The eight men worked for a private company that supported the Qatari armed forces. (Representative)
New Delhi:
Eight former Indian Navy officers sentenced to death in Qatar have been accused of spying for Israel. The eight men worked for a private company that helped the Qatari armed forces and included highly decorated officers who once commanded Indian warships.
In August 2022, the retired officials were arrested on espionage charges and were accused of espionage and state-sponsored terrorism. The eight men were reportedly spying on a secret naval project for Qatar.
The convicted men are Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta and Seaman Ragesh Gopakumar. They worked for a private company, Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, which provided training and other services to Qatar’s armed forces.
In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said it was shocked by the verdict and would discuss the matter with Qatari authorities.
Award-winning commander
The men arrested in Doha last year are accused of spying on Qatar’s advanced submarines for Israel. These submarines were coated with special materials that improved their stealth capabilities, which would be of great value to any navy in the world.
The submarines were reportedly built in collaboration with an Italian shipbuilding company.
In 2019, Commander Purnendu Tiwari was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, the highest honor given to overseas Indians. In a post at the time, the Indian Embassy in Doha had said the award was given to Commander Tiwari for improving India’s image abroad.
“The award is in recognition of his contribution to capacity building of the Qatari Emirian Naval Forces, thereby promoting bilateral cooperation between India and Qatar. He is the first member of the Indian Armed Forces to be conferred with this highest honor for NRIs/PIOs,” the embassy had said.
Commander Tiwari was the Managing Director of Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services and had commanded several warships as part of the Indian Navy.
“Explore all options”
The eight men’s applications for bail had been rejected several times and the verdict against them was announced on Thursday by the Court of First Instance in Qatar.
Reacting to the verdict, the Foreign Ministry said in a statement: “We are deeply shocked by the death penalty verdict and await the detailed verdict. We are in contact with family members and the legal team and are reviewing the situation and all legal options.”
“We attach great importance to this case and are following it closely. We will continue to provide all consular and legal assistance. We will also discuss the verdict with the Qatari authorities,” it said.
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