A Qatar court has granted acceptance to the appeal lodged by the Narendra Modi government against the death sentences of eight former Indian Navy personnel accused of espionage, according to a media report. The court has agreed to hear their plea in the near future, though a specific timeline has not been provided. This development follows the death sentences handed down by Qatar’s Court of First Instance a month ago to the eight individuals in question.
The Quint, a news outlet, reported the acceptance of the appeal, citing "sources close to the men’s families."
The charges against the eight Indian Navy veterans were filed on March 25, and they underwent trial under Qatari law. The situation intensified on October 26 when the local court pronounced the death sentences. In response to the ruling, the External Affairs Ministry expressed deep shock and pledged to explore all legal avenues in the case. The ministry released a statement saying, "We have initial information that the Court of First Instance of Qatar has today passed a judgment in the case involving eight Indian employees of Al Dahra company. We are deeply shocked by the verdict of 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 individuals arrested were identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, and Sailor Ragesh — all former Indian Navy personnel employed by Dahra Global. The Congress party has called on the government to expedite the release of the eight men. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh stated that the party expects the government to utilize its diplomatic and political influence with the Qatar government to the fullest, ensuring that the officers have full access to appeals and working diligently to secure their earliest release.
The Indian nationals, employees of Doha-based Dahra Global, were taken into custody in August 2022. Following their arrest last year, the former navy personnel received some relief from Qatari authorities when they were transferred from solitary confinement to a double-bed occupancy in a jail ward alongside their colleagues.
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