Express News Service
NEW DELHI: After being in solitary confinement for over eight months in Doha, eight Indian naval veterans in Doha are likely to get charged individually under various sections of the Qatari law.
“After the rejection of the last bail plea on March 15 for the eighth time in a row, the veterans were allowed to file a fresh petition on March 19. It was then that they were told that charges would be framed against them individually. Based on what the charges are, the eight naval veterans will be tried in Qatari courts,” said a source close to the matter, adding that this has been a major setback as they were all hoping for an early repatriation of the officers back to India.
Panic-struck families of the veterans are clueless about what lies ahead. “Even though we get to meet our men– those who aren’t in Doha are allowed weekly phone calls– we are severely impacted by what lies ahead. We are hoping against hope that they are repatriated back home and not tried in courts there,” lamented a family member of one of the veterans.
Some family members are also hoping that the Amir of Qatar grants a pardon during the ongoing month of Ramadan. While the Qatari authorities have dealt with these eight naval veterans with civility, the uncertainty around their release has been a cause of concern.
The Indian government through its diplomatic channels has been in constant touch with their counterparts in Doha seeking early repatriation of the veterans. These eight naval veterans who were working for Dahra Consultancies were picked up at midnight on August 30t by officials of Qatar’s interior ministry.
These eight veterans are Capt Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vashisht, Commander Purenendu Tiwari, Capt Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh.
ALSO READ | Despair for eight Indian ex-Navy officers languishing in Qatar jail
The saga so far
On midnight of August 30, there was a knock on the door of naval officials working for a company called Dhara Consultancies for five years. Qatar’s Interior Ministry officials asked the veterans to accompany them for a training programme.
The officials never returned home and were kept in solitary confinement. Even as their families remained worried, the first hearing of their bail plea was held a month later. Their bail pleas have been rejected eight times since then. The veterans got their first consular access was given on October 3.
The CEO of the company, meanwhile, came down to Doha to get his officials out. However, he was also kept in solitary confinement for two months. Subsequently, he was released on bail.
Weekly meetings with families of the officials and home-cooked food were allowed until now. Once the charges are framed, things may well not be the same.
NEW DELHI: After being in solitary confinement for over eight months in Doha, eight Indian naval veterans in Doha are likely to get charged individually under various sections of the Qatari law.
“After the rejection of the last bail plea on March 15 for the eighth time in a row, the veterans were allowed to file a fresh petition on March 19. It was then that they were told that charges would be framed against them individually. Based on what the charges are, the eight naval veterans will be tried in Qatari courts,” said a source close to the matter, adding that this has been a major setback as they were all hoping for an early repatriation of the officers back to India.
Panic-struck families of the veterans are clueless about what lies ahead. “Even though we get to meet our men– those who aren’t in Doha are allowed weekly phone calls– we are severely impacted by what lies ahead. We are hoping against hope that they are repatriated back home and not tried in courts there,” lamented a family member of one of the veterans. googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });
Some family members are also hoping that the Amir of Qatar grants a pardon during the ongoing month of Ramadan. While the Qatari authorities have dealt with these eight naval veterans with civility, the uncertainty around their release has been a cause of concern.
The Indian government through its diplomatic channels has been in constant touch with their counterparts in Doha seeking early repatriation of the veterans. These eight naval veterans who were working for Dahra Consultancies were picked up at midnight on August 30t by officials of Qatar’s interior ministry.
These eight veterans are Capt Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vashisht, Commander Purenendu Tiwari, Capt Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh.
ALSO READ | Despair for eight Indian ex-Navy officers languishing in Qatar jail
The saga so far
On midnight of August 30, there was a knock on the door of naval officials working for a company called Dhara Consultancies for five years. Qatar’s Interior Ministry officials asked the veterans to accompany them for a training programme.
The officials never returned home and were kept in solitary confinement. Even as their families remained worried, the first hearing of their bail plea was held a month later. Their bail pleas have been rejected eight times since then. The veterans got their first consular access was given on October 3.
The CEO of the company, meanwhile, came down to Doha to get his officials out. However, he was also kept in solitary confinement for two months. Subsequently, he was released on bail.
Weekly meetings with families of the officials and home-cooked food were allowed until now. Once the charges are framed, things may well not be the same.
