Qatar court accepts Indian appeal against death sentence for ex-Navy personnel

• Qatar court accepts Modi Government's appeal against death sentences for eight Indian Navy personnel
• The individuals were arrested on alleged charges of spying on in August 2022 and have been facing trials since March 25
• On October 26 a local court pronounced death sentences against them 

In a significant development, a Qatar court has accepted the appeal filed by the Narendra Modi government against the death sentences imposed on eight former Indian Navy personnel accused of spying. The court has agreed to hear their plea, although no specific timeline has been provided.

The charges against the eight Indian Navy veterans were initially filed on March 25, and they faced trial under Qatari law. However, the situation escalated on October 26 when a local court pronounced death sentences against them.

The External affairs ministry had described the ruling as “deeply” shocking and vowed to explore all legal options in the case. The MEA is closely monitoring the case, awaiting the detailed judgment from the Court of First Instance in Qatar.

The arrested individuals, identified as Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Amit Nagpal, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, and Sailor Ragesh, are all former Indian Navy personnel employed by Dahra Global, a Doha-based company. They were taken into custody in August 2022.