India files appeal in case of 8 Navy veterans awarded death penalty over espionage charge in Qatar
New Delhi/IBNS: India has filed an appeal with Qatar over the death penalty to eight former Navy personnel, who were arrested in August last year for reasons still not known and sentenced last month. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said Thursday that Delhi has "already filed an appeal".
The Indian government had earlier said it was "deeply shocked by the verdict" and said it was exploring all available legal options
At a scheduled press briefing, Bagchi said case details remain unavailable. "The judgement is confidential... has only been shared with the legal team. We are now pursuing further legal steps."
"We are in touch with the family (of the eight Naval officers)... if you remember, the External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) met their family in Delhi. We will continue to extend all possible legal and consular support," Bagchi said and cautioned against speculation in this sensitive matter.
Consular access to the eight was last provided on Tuesday, he said.
On Oct 26, a court in Qatar handed down death sentences to the eight former Indian Navy personnel who had been jailed in the country for over a year.
The eight ex-Navy officers include decorated individuals who once commanded major Indian warships, and were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services when arrested.
Media reports said that the Navy veterans were accused of espionage in connection with a submarine program allegedly on behalf of Israel. Qatari authorities also claim to possess electronic evidence related to the case.
Some of them were reportedly engaged in a sensitive project involving Italian technology-based midget submarines with stealth capabilities.
The former Indian Navy officers—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—were arrested by the Qatar intelligence agency in Doha on August 30, 2022, India Today reported.
They have been in custody since August 2022, and New Delhi, having been granted consular access, has been actively working to secure their release.
The arrested men underwent trial proceedings in March.
Despite multiple attempts, their bail pleas were rejected by Qatari authorities. The death sentences were announced earlier in the day by a Court of First Instance in Qatar.
IBNS
Senior Staff Reporter at Northeast Herald, covering news from Tripura and Northeast India.
Related Articles
Bengaluru woman 'digitally arrested’ for a month, loses ₹32 crore in terrifying cyber scam
A 57-year-old woman from Bengaluru lost nearly ₹32 crore after falling victim to an elaborate “digital arrest” scam in which fraudsters impersonated officials from DHL, the Cybercrime Department, the CBI and the Reserve Bank of India, media reports said.
NIA uncovers chilling plan: Delhi terror module tried weaponising drones for mass carnage
Investigators have now revealed that the suicide car bomb that shook Delhi near the Red Fort on November 10 was only the beginning of what the terror module had planned, media reports said.
Lone survivor of Medina tragedy: Hyderabad’s Abdul Shoiab cheats death as 42 pilgrims perish
In a tragic night that claimed 42 Indian lives near Medina, one man- 24-year-old Mohd Abdul Shoiab from Hyderabad- survived the horrific bus crash that left families across Telangana shattered.
'Entire family wiped out': 18 members of Hyderabad family, including 9 children, killed in Medina mishap
In a night of unimaginable tragedy, eighteen members of a single Hyderabad family, including nine children, were among the 42 Indian pilgrims killed when their bus crashed and burst into flames near Medina in Saudi Arabia, media reports said.
Latest News
'No one is above law': Muhammad Yunus welcomes death sentence for ousted Bangladesh PM Sheikh Hasina
Bengaluru woman 'digitally arrested’ for a month, loses ₹32 crore in terrifying cyber scam
NIA uncovers chilling plan: Delhi terror module tried weaponising drones for mass carnage
CM rejects demand for CBI inquiry into banned cough syrup seizure case
