A Qatar courtroom on Thursday handed down loss of life sentence to eight former Indian Navy officers at present detained within the Gulf nation over severe espionage expenses.
The decision has despatched shockwaves via India’s Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA), which has expressed deep concern and is eagerly awaiting the detailed judgment, The Hindu reported.
The officers, who’ve labored at varied positions in Indian Navy, are accused of spying for Israel. The accused have been recognized as working for the Indian intelligence company, RAW. They have been reportedly caught finishing up espionage actions in Qatar.
In response to the nation’s investigative company, these officers supplied Israel particulars of Qatar’s secret programme to purchase superior submarines from Italy.
The Indian MEA launched an announcement, acknowledging the courtroom’s choice: “Now we have preliminary data that the Court docket of First Occasion of Qatar has as we speak handed a judgment within the case involving eight Indian workers of Al Dahra firm.” It continued, “We’re deeply shocked by the decision of a loss of life penalty and are awaiting the detailed judgment. We’re in contact with the relations and the authorized workforce, and we’re exploring all authorized choices.”
Highlighting the gravity of the scenario, the assertion emphasised the significance of this case and the Indian authorities’s dedication to offering help. It famous that the authorities had been intently monitoring the case and guaranteed the general public that they’d proceed to increase consular and authorized help whereas additionally taking on the matter with Qatari authorities.
Learn additionally: Demise penalty looms over eight Indian ‘spies’ imprisoned in Qatar
The MEA, nevertheless, talked about the confidential nature of the proceedings, making it clear that no additional feedback could be made at this juncture.
The eight former Indian Navy officers embody 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. They have been apprehended by Qatari intelligence companies in Doha on August 30, 2022.
The chief govt officer of a non-public defence firm and the top of worldwide navy operations of Qatar had additionally been arrested in the identical case.
This incident has develop into a supply of worldwide embarrassment for India, regardless of makes an attempt by Indian politicians to downplay the problem. The imprisonment of those eight Indian Navy officers in Qatar for alleged espionage raises important worldwide considerations following the case of Kulbhushan Jadhav in Pakistan and just lately the homicide of Sikh separatist chief Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.