Release of ex-Navy personnel by Qatar big diplomatic win for India: BJP

NEW DELHI: The release of eight jailed former Indian Navy personnel nearly three-and-a-half months after they were handed down death sentences in a case of suspected espionage by a Qatar court, is a “big diplomatic win” for India, BJP Spokesperson Shazia Ilmi said on Monday.

The Navy veterans were on October 26 last year given death sentences by Qatar’s Court of First Instance in a case of suspected espionage.

“It seemed at one point of time it will be very difficult to make it happen. But they have come back safe and sound. That is great news for every Indian. It shows how much the words of the Indian foreign ministry and Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) matter,” Ilmi said.

“It is a big diplomatic win for India. It shows how India has negotiated so well that we have our Navy veterans back,” she said.

The Indian nationals, who worked with the private company Al Dahra, were arrested in August 2022. Neither the Qatari authorities nor New Delhi made the charges against them public.

The Court of Appeal in the Gulf nation on December 28 last year commuted the capital punishment of the eight Navy veterans and sentenced them to jail terms for varying durations. The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said seven of them have returned to India. It said India appreciates the decision by the Amir of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of the Indians. (PTI)