Will do all to secure release: Jaishankar assures kin of eight on Qatar death row

India had described the October 27 ruling, by Qatar’s court of first instance, as “deeply” shocking and is exploring all legal and diplomatic options in the case.

“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,” Jaishankar said on X.

“Underlined that Government will continue to make all efforts to secure their release. Will coordinate closely with the families in that regard,” he said.

Calling the ruling “deeply shocking”, India had said it is exploring all “legal options”.

The Indian nationals, all employees of Doha-based Dahra Global, were taken into custody in August 2022.

The charges against the Indian nationals have not been made public by Qatari authorities. But sources said the Indians were working in their private capacity with Dahra Global to oversee the induction of Italian small stealth submarines U2I2.

According to a report in the Financial Times, the eight Indians had been charged with spying for Israel. There was no official word on the charges from the Indian side.

Those arrested are: 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.

Speaking to The Indian Express Sunday, Meetu Bhargava, sister of Commander Tiwari had said that lack of transparency in how the eight have been tried in Qatar has undermined the faith of their families in the judicial process.

She sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “personal intervention” to bring them back, citing a shortage of time. The Gwalior-based Bhargava was the first relative of the eight who came forward in October last year to seek the Centre’s help for their release.

“Qatar is a friendly country. They can repatriate them to another friendly country (India). We want all eight of our men back. Not just my brother, but all eight,” she said.

Even as Indian authorities are yet to receive a formal version of the verdict, sources said some of the families who are in Qatar were allowed to meet their detained relatives on Sunday. A close family member of one of the former naval officers detained in Qatar said that neither the Indian authorities nor any of the families have got to know what the “exact charges” are.

“It is a nerve-wracking moment for all of us. We are all just patiently waiting,” said a close family member of one of the former naval officers. In the absence of the verdict, she said, it is “unfair” to link the former officers to espionage, as some reports have done. She said the former officers were in Qatar to help build its Navy.

Meanwhile, friends and families have also floated an online petition on change.org urging the “government to intervene at the highest level and secure their release.”