Doha: The Court of First Instance in Qatar has issued a death penalty verdict for eight former naval officers on charges of espionage.
The former Indian Navy officials, including 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 Qatari intelligence services in Doha on August 30, 2022.
Former naval commander Purnendu Tiwari — who was awarded the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman in 2019 for his services to India was also given death sentence in the case.
Reports said that the Indian officials were sentenced on charges of espionage.
They have espionage charges against them as they were involved in spying on a submarine program on behalf of Israel.
The eight men are retired Indian navy officers who worked for the consulting company Al Dahra, advising the Qatari government on the acquisition of submarines.
Qatari authorities provided New Delhi consular access to the eight Indian nationals during their trial.
Qatar’s government declined to immediately comment on the sentences.
