Eight former Indian Navy officers have been reportedly detained in Qatar’s capital Doha on August 30 on the pretext of a long naval exercise. The officers worked for a company that provides training and other services to the Qatari Emiri Navy. The matter came to light after the families of the former naval officers demanded their release and urged the government to take action immediately.
As per reports, the officers worked with Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services and were engaged in conducting naval exercises for Qatar Navy. The company describes itself as a local business partner of Qatar’s defense, security, and other government agencies.
The officers went incommunicado since August 2022 after they were taken away under the pretext long naval exercise.
On October 25, Meetu Bhargava, sister of retired Commander Purnendu Tiwari, one of eight former Navy officers who have been detained in Doha, tweeted:
Eight Indian Navy veterans who had served the motherland are in illegal custody/detention in Doha (Qatar) for 57 days as on date. Request and plead our Indian government to act fast and get all these distinguished officers repatriated to India without any further delays.
“I would like to inform that my brother retired Commander Purnendu Tiwari was abducted on August 30. We came to know this after two weeks through company services. We know that the government is working on the matter, but I request them to increase their efforts to repatriate these eight navy veterans to India,” Bhargava said while talking to Republic TV.
Tiwari received the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award in 2019 from the then-President of India, Ram Nath Kovind.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) meanwhile on November 3 confirmed their detention. MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi informed that Indian Embassy in Qatar has been in touch with Qatari authorities and mission officials have gotten consular access to the detained Indian nationals and ascertained their well-being.
“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”, Bagchi said.
“Our embassy and ministry are in touch with the families. Our embassy there is making all possible efforts for the early release and repatriation of the detained Indian nationals”, Bagchi added.
