Deeply shocked, exploring all legal options: MEA
The News Freedom
Chandigarh, October 26
Eight former officers of the Indian Navy were sentenced to death by a court in Qatar on Thursday. However, the charges against the officers have not been made public. The veteran navy officers who were awarded the death penalty include Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purenendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh, according to media reports.
As per The Print report, the eight former officers worked for Dahra Global Technologies & Consulting Services, a company engaged in training Qatari navy personnel. Last August, they were picked up by Qatari intelligence authorities and incarcerated in Doha. In April, ThePrint had reported that the officers stood accused of spying on the Gulf nation’s secretive programme to obtain Italian-made, high-tech submarines coated with metamaterials that make their detection by adversaries difficult.Legal proceedings against the eight officers were reported to have begun on 29 March this year.
Reacting to the Qatar court order, India Ministry of External Affairs in a press statement on Tuesday said ” we have initial information that the Court of First Instance of Qatar has today passed a judgement in the case involving 8 Indian employees of Al Dahra company. We are deeply shocked by the verdict of the death penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgment. We are in touch with the family members and the legal team, and we are exploring all legal options,”.
The Ministry statement further said that we attach high importance to this case and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities.”
“Due to the confidential nature of the proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture.” the Ministry further said.
The Print reported that according to Anil Trigunayat, a former ambassador and ex-joint secretary for the Gulf & Haj Divisions in MEA, the only way forward would be that the case goes to a higher court. “Right now, it’s in a court of first instance. Then perhaps, a pardon can be sought from the Emir. Unfortunately, all details including charges have not been available in public domain,” he told ThePrint.