A day after a Qatari court commuted the death sentences of eight former Indian Navy personnel, India on Friday said it would consider a possible commutation after studying the detailed verdict and discussing the case with the legal team and the men’s families. Will decide on the next step.
Eight people – Captains Navtej Gill and Saurabh Vashishtha, Commanders Purnendu Tiwari, Amit Nagpal, SK Gupta, BK Verma and Sugunakar Pakala and sailor Ragesh – were freed by a Qatari first instance court on October 26 after being detained for more than a year. Death sentence was given on undisclosed charges.
After this, Qatar’s appeal court on December 28 (Thursday) reduced the death sentence of all of them and sentenced them to jail ranging from three years to 25 years.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said at a regular media briefing that possible options and next steps can be decided only after the legal team goes through the detailed judgment.
Let us tell you that the Appeal Court of Qatar had given only a verbal order on Thursday. Its detailed decision is awaited.
Commenting on the matter, Bagchi said: “Until we have the details of the decision, I don’t want to comment on it. “Of course, we are discussing possible next steps with the legal team and family members.”
Here, people familiar with the case, on the condition of anonymity, said that Commander Purnendu Tiwari has been sentenced to 25 years in jail, while Sailor Ragesh has been sentenced to three years. He said that four former Indian Navy officers have been sentenced to 15 years in jail and two others have been sentenced to 10 years in jail each.
Bagchi reiterated the statement issued by the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday, which said that the sentences of eight people have been reduced.
He again stressed the “confidential and sensitive nature” of the matter. He added: “We would again urge not to engage in speculation. The interests of Indians and their family members are our foremost concern.”
Responding to a question on whether India would implement the 2015 agreement with Qatar on transfer of convicted prisoners, Bagchi said it was not clear whether the agreement has been ratified by the Qatari side.
However, he said, “Yes, there is such an agreement. But I am not sure whether it is effective or not as it requires ratification by both parties. I need to check whether the Qatari side has ratified that agreement or not.”
The agreement allows citizens of India and Qatar, who have been convicted and sentenced for criminal acts, to serve their prison sentences in their home countries.
However, the agreement, signed during the visit of Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to India in March 2015, does not apply to persons facing the death penalty.
Ministry sources said that although the Indian side has ratified the agreement, there is a lack of clarity on whether the Qatari side has completed all the processes for its ratification. However, Qatar’s cabinet endorsed the agreement in October 2015.
The eight people, including respected officers who have commanded frontline warships in the Indian Navy, were employees of a subsidiary of Oman-based Dahra Engineering and Security Services, which provides training and other services to Qatar’s armed forces.
The subsidiary company was shut down in May this year. Tiwari, who served as the managing director of Al Dahra, has commanded several warships while serving in the Navy.
Reports have revealed that these people were accused of espionage. However, neither the Indian side nor the Qatari authorities have made the allegations public.
Formal charges were filed against the men on March 25 this year and they were prosecuted under Qatari law.