Qatar death sentences: Many Indians hired by Qatar company in which eight retired Indian Navy personnel worked; Govt to fight legal battle
Qatari firm in which the eight retired Indian Navy personnel worked when they were charged for espionage and later sentenced to death, employed close to 150 Indians at one point, all of whom were involved in imparting training to Qatar armed forces officers.
Al Dahra, which has since been shut down, heavily recruited retired Indian Navy personnel, most of whom were highly qualified for imparting training. Those familiar with the arrangement said that the recruitments were made following a memorandum of understanding between India and Qatar for cooperation in training of military personnel.
Several Indians who worked for Al Dahra even took premature retirement from the Indian Navy and other armed forces to take up the job. Sources close to the eight retired personnel who have been sentenced to death said that their record of service in India had been impeccable and included several sensitive postings for which they were selected after all requisite security clearances.
Following their detention in August last year, family members of the personnel had publicly raised the issue and asked for the government's help.
The opaque nature of the trial — the charges have not yet been officially made public — added to the frustration of family members who have had little or no information on the nature of the trial, those aware of developments said.
Raising the matter in Rajya Sabha in December last year, BJD leader Sujeet Kumar had appealed the the government to take up the matter, saying that the Indians were picked up in the middle of the night and placed under solitary confinement, without any explanation of the charges.
«Consular access was provided to them only on the 3rd October.
