It has been 72 days since eight former Indian Navy personnel were detained in Qatar. In October end, India sent a senior official to the capital Doha to assist its embassy’s officials in securing the release of the personnel, reports Indian Express.
The charges against these ex-navy officers remain unknown. These eight officers were employed by a Qatar company named Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services to provide training and services such as logistics and equipment maintenance to the Qatari Emiri Navy, as per Indian Express.
The officers’ families have appealed to the Indian government to bring them back safely.
When were the eight former Indian Navy officers arrested? What has the Indian government said about their arrest? What are their families saying? Let’s take a look.
Eight ex-Indian Navy officers nabbed
On 30 August, eight former Navy officers were picked up by Qatar’s intelligence agency – State Security Bureau. The Indian embassy in Doha apparently learnt about the arrest only in mid-September, reports Indian Express.
The officers in custody were allowed to talk to their families on the phone at the end of September, while in early October, they were visited by an official of the Indian embassy. The next consular access was provided in the first week of November, as per Indian Express.
All eight officers are reportedly put in solitary confinement.
The incident has come as a surprise as India and Qatar share friendly ties and have also organised joint naval exercises.
Officers working for Qatar company for many years
The eight personnel had been working with the company for the last four to six years. One of the officers in custody is Commander Purnendu Tiwari (retired), the managing director of the firm.
In 2019, he was also awarded Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award by the former President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
Indian Express reported that Tiwari’s profile on the company website said he “commanded a minesweeper and a large amphibious warship” when he was in the Indian Navy.
India and Qatar have conducted joint naval exercises. PTI (Representational Image
Several of these officers retired with the rank of commander from the Indian Navy, notes Hindustan Times.
The website of Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, which had information about its top employees including the arrested personnel, does not show any details now.
When opened, it shows ‘under maintenance’ and ‘Coming soon’.
As per Indian Express, the firm’s chief executive officer (CEO), Khamis Al Ajmi, is a retired Squadron Leader of the Royal Oman Air Force.
Indian ambassador to Qatar, Deepak Mittal, and even his predecessor have visited the company facilities and lauded its work as strengthening ties between India and Qatar, reports Indian Express.
India reacts to the arrest
On 3 November, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said the Indian embassy in Doha is making all possible efforts for the early release and repatriation of the detained eight former naval personnel.
“We are aware of the detention of eight Indian nationals who we understand were working for a private company in Qatar,” MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told reporters.
He said the Indian embassy has been in touch with Qatari authorities and that the mission officials were granted consular access and have ascertained the personnel’s well-being last month.
MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said the Indian embassy is in touch with Qatar regarding the arrest of eight former Indian Navy officers. ANI File Photo
“The detained persons have also spoken to their family members on a few occasions. We have requested another round of consular access and we are following up with Qatari authorities on this,” he was quoted as saying by Indian Express.
The MEA spokesperson further said the embassy and ministry are in contact with the kin of the officials in Qatari custody.
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Families appeal to the Indian government
Dr Meetu Bhargava, sister of retired commander Purnendu Tiwari, had brought the incident to light when she sought the help of Modi, MEA and other Cabinet ministers on 27 October.
She had said on Twitter then that these eight veterans have been held in “illegal custody/detention” for “57 days”.
On 6 November, the same Twitter account took to the social media platform again to write, “The Indian Government need to act immediately, swiftly & walk the talk if they really care about their defence personnel as today is 69th day of the illegal solitary confinement of our senior citizen Navy veterans (officers) in Doha (Qatar).”
In another tweet, she added, “Many of these veterans are suffering from medical ailments because of their age. Delay in their release is causing extreme hardship to these veterans who had served their motherland & hence again plead our Government to kindly expedite their release pl” (sic).
Speaking to news agency ANI, Dr Bhargava, who lives in Madhya Pradesh’s Gwalior, said they have not been informed about the charges against the officers in custody. She also claimed that the MEA sprung into action after more than 50 days had passed since the officers’ arrest, the news agency reported.
Expressing concern about her brother’s health, she said he is a senior citizen suffering from diabetes and other ailments.
Another family member of one of the imprisoned officers appealed for high-level intervention by the Indian government. In a letter to the Indian embassy in October, the wife of one of the officers called for the release of her husband and others.
She wrote that on 5 October her husband was brought to their home in Doha along with four escorts. He packed a bag and was taken away without getting a chance to speak to her, the wife said, as per Indian Express.
Further, she mentioned his health concerns and said the families of these detained officers are in distress.
With inputs from agencies
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