Seven of the eight Indian Navy veterans who were detained in August 2022 and sentenced to death by Qatar’s Court of First Instance on October 26 last year have been released. At the Delhi airport, the seven former Indian Navy officers were seen chanting “Bharat Mata ki Jai,” relieved to walk freely in their home country.
The eight men were employees of Al Dahra, a Gulf-based company that offers “complete support solutions” to the aerospace, security, and defense sectors, according to its official site.
Last year, The Hindu reported that the men were spying for a “third country,” while the Times of India said that “various reports claimed they were accused of spying for Israel.”. On December 29, 2023, the Ministry of External Affairs started to discuss next steps, including their return, with its legal team.
Was it the intervention of the Prime Minister or not?
There is speculation as to whether the prime minister’s visit to Qatar was the reason for achieving freedom despite the death sentence. When asked, Qatar’s Emir, Kwatra, informed reporters that the prime minister had constantly evaluated the situation and did not shy away from taking initiatives.
On the other hand, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra said that the prime minister’s visits are scheduled months in advance. Last year, in December, Modi had a brief discussion with the Emir of Qatar, Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani, at the COP summit.
Upon their arrival in New Delhi on Monday morning, seven out of the eight Indian Navy veterans, who had been sentenced to death on ‘espionage’ charges but had been freed by a Qatari court months earlier, showered Prime Minister Narendra Modi with admiration.
One of the Navy veterans thanked Modi for raising their sentencing with Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and attributed their release to relentless diplomatic efforts. “I feel relieved and delighted to finally be back home safe. I wish to thank Prime Minister Modi, as this wouldn’t have been possible if he hadn’t intervened personally to secure our release. I also wish to express my gratitude to Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar,” he said.
“We waited almost 18 months to be back home with our loved ones in India,” another Navy veteran said.
Earlier on Monday, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced the release of eight veterans of the Indian Navy who had been sentenced to death in Qatar.
Meanwhile, Shashi Tharoor turned to X, posting, “It’s a huge relief —and a matter of quiet celebration for all Indians — that eight of our compatriots who were sentenced to death in Qatar have been freed & returned home. Congratulations to all those who worked quietly behind the scenes for their release.”
