Spying case: 8 ex-Navy men get ‘3 to 25 years’ in jail, repatriation uncertain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 29

Even as the Government of India declined to share any information about the subsequent fate of eight former Indian Navy personnel after they were let off from the death row in Qatar, news filtering in from Doha indicated their jail sentences range from three to 25 years.

• Editorial: Qatar reprieve

There is also little chance of the eight men serving their sentences in India because Qatar has not ratified the extradition treaty signed with India in 2015.

Maximum term for team leader

• It is learnt leader of Indian team in Doha firm has got 25 years in jail, while only non-officer among 8 has been awarded 3 years
• Four former officers have been sentenced to 15 years, while two other former officers will have to serve 10 years in jail
• Stonewalling queries on jail terms, MEA spokesperson asked media not to speculate due to confidential nature of the case

Both countries needed to ratify the treaty before it came into effect. The other possibility is either the Emir of Qatar waiving their jail sentences or issuing a special decree that permits the eight to serve their sentences in India.

The leader of the Indian team for the sensitive naval project in Qatar is understood to have been given 25 years in jail, while the only non-officer among the arrested eight has been awarded three years of imprisonment.

Will consult legal team, kin

(Protecting) interests of Indians and their family members is our foremost concern… We will discuss next possible steps with legal team and kin. Arindam Bagchi, MEA spokesperson

Four former officers have been sentenced to 15 years and two other former officers will have to serve 10 years in prison.

The MEA, however, stonewalled all queries in this regard. Asked about the case at a press conference on Friday, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi urged the media not to engage in speculation due to the confidential nature of the case. “Let’s find out exactly what it is. The sentences have been reduced, but until we have more details, I do not want to comment on it,” said Bagchi.

Asked whether the Indian Government would lean on the 2015 extradition agreement to bring back the eight former Navy men, Bagchi said: “There is such an agreement. However, I am not sure it is in effect because it requires ratification by both sides, and I would have to check whether the Qatari side had ratified that agreement. I am not yet sure on that.”

These eight men were working for Doha-based Dahra Global reportedly on a super-secret project involving construction of stealth submarines. They were arrested last year and according to reports, charged with spying for Israel.

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