The Qatar Court of Appeal has decided to commute the death sentence that was initially handed down to eight former Navy officers on October 26, PTI reported.
These officers, including Commander Purnendu Tiwari, were working for Al Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private firm providing training and services to Qatar’s armed forces.
The accused, who have been in detention for a year, faced charges of espionage.
Notably, Commander Purnendu Tiwari served as the managing director of Al Dahra and had commanded several warships during his tenure in the Indian Navy, as per The Week report.
The other convicted individuals are Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Rahesh.
Following the court’s decision to commute the death sentence, the officers are now expected to serve a substantial jail term.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has acknowledged the verdict and is currently awaiting the complete details of the judgment to determine any further course of action.
