India In Touch With Family Of Ex-Naval Officer Detained In Qatar, Clarifies Two Separate Legal Cases

MEA Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that India remains in touch with Commander Tiwari's family and is providing support, and cautioned against conflating the February 2026 Court of Cassation ruling with the March 12, 2026 relief case; the MEA also referenced earlier efforts to mobilise diplomatic channels and legal assistance for Indian nationals detained in Qatar.

In a separate case, Commander Purnendu Tiwari was granted relief on March 12, 2026.

Qatar's Court of Cassation sentenced Commander Purnendu Tiwari, along with an Omani owner and other Qatari officer, in a separate case; the judgment was delivered in February 2026.

Qatar's Court of Appeal commuted the death sentences awarded in October 2023 to all eight men; the charges were related to espionage allegations linked to a submarine programme, though official charging details were not publicly disclosed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani on the sidelines of the COP28 summit in Dubai; discussions included bilateral ties and the well-being of the Indian community in Qatar.

The eight men were awarded death sentences in October 2023 in connection with espionage allegations related to a submarine programme, though charges were not publicly disclosed.

Eight former Indian Navy personnel—Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh—were detained in Qatar in August 2022.