New Delhi, October 30: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met the families of eight Indians sentenced to death in Qatar. Eight former Indian Navy officers have been detained in Qatar on espionage charges and have been sentenced to death.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar posted on social media platform X that the government understands the pain and concerns of the families of the eight Indians sentenced to death in Qatar. Our government attaches utmost importance to this matter. Therefore, the government is making all efforts to ensure the release of all of them and will continue those efforts. It is also important to maintain closeness with all those families in this regard. This will maintain harmony among themselves.
Since August 2022, eight former Indian Navy officers were arrested by the Qatari police and are lodged in a Qatari jail. All these former officials have been accused of spying for Israel and a Qatari court has sentenced them to death.
Met this morning with the families of the 8 Indians detained in Qatar.
Stressed that Government attaches the highest importance to the case. Fully share the concerns and pain of the families.
Underlined that Government will continue to make all efforts to secure their release.…
— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) October 30, 2023
Commander Purnandu Tiwari, who was awarded the President’s Award, was among the eight officers who were arrested by Qatar Police on charges of espionage. President Ramnath Kovind honored Commander Purnandu Tiwari with the Pravasi Bharatiya Award in 2019.
According to the report, the first hearing of this case was held at the end of March this year. Meetu Bhargava, sister of one of the eight officers who have been arrested, had sought India’s help for the safe return of her brother from Qatar.
Describing the former naval officer as the pride of the country, Mitu Bhargava had written on social media platform X on June 8 requesting Prime Minister Modi that the time has come to bring all of them back to India immediately without any delay.