In a surprising turn of events, the external affairs ministry announced early on Monday that the eight men had been released on the orders of the emir of Qatar, marking a significant diplomatic breakthrough for New Delhi. All but one of the former naval personnel returned home on Monday, and their release ended widespread speculation about their fate following their detention.
Speaking to the media after reaching Delhi, one of the veterans said, "We are very happy that we are back in India, safely. Definitely, we would like to thank PM Modi, as this was only possible because of his personal intervention."
In December last year, Qatar's Court of Appeal commuted the death sentences awarded to the men -Captains Navtej Gill and Saurabh Vasisht, Commanders Purnendu Tiwari, Amit Nagpal, SK Gupta, BK Verma and Sugunakar Pakala, and sailor Ragesh and sentenced them to prison for varying durations ranging from three years to 25 years.
The Court of Appeal also gave the eight men 60 days to appeal against the prison terms, but in a surprise development, the external affairs ministry announced they had been released, and that seven of them had returned home.
"The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India," the ministry said in a brief statement.
"We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals," the statement said without giving details.
Hours after the announcement, foreign secretary Vinay Kwatra told a media briefing that Modi will visit Qatar on February 14 after a trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He also said such trips are finalised months in advance, downplaying suggestions the visit was linked to the case of the eight men.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
'MVA copying our welfare policies...people know this'
People have woken up to the false propaganda now... They have also understood that our govt can work for the welfare of all sections of society
Harris concedes election, 'but not the fight'; Biden urges calm
Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, acknowledged that her Republican rival, Donald Trump, had won the 2024 elections. But she warned that while she was conceding the election, she wasn't conceding the fight for freedom \"that fuelled her campaign\".
Terrorists claim to kill two defence volunteers
Two Village Defence Guards (VDGs) went missing from the Kishtwar district of Jammu on Thursday with an offshoot of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) claiming to have killed them and security forces launching a search operation to trace the two men.
SC restores DRI's powers, revives 20k-cr tax notices
A two-and-a-halfyear-old boy and a 37-year-old man were electrocuted after touching high-tension wires in separate incidents within hours of each other in Delhi's northwestern fringes on Wednesday, police said on Thursday, underscoring the hazards of the city's public infrastructure, which has resulted in at least 10 such deaths this year.
AFTER SALMAN, SHAH RUKH KHAN RECEIVES DEATH THREAT
Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan received a death threat at the Bandra police station in Mumbai on Monday night, police said, adding that they have identified a Raipur lawyer whose phone was allegedly used to threaten the actor if he did not pay ₹50 lakh.
SC QUASHES NCLAT RULING, ORDERS LIQUIDATION OF JET AIRWAYS
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the liquidation of Jet Airways while setting aside a National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) ruling in March that upheld the transfer of the defunct airline's ownership to the Jalan-Kalrock Consortium (JKC) under an approved resolution plan.
3 UNACQUAINTED MEN GANG UP TO RAPE MENTALLY ILL WOMAN IN S DELHI
The Delhi Police has arrested three men for gang-raping a 34-year-old mentally ill woman, officers said on Thursday, weeks after she was found walking near Sarai Kale Khan, bleeding and partially clothed.
Nivin Pauly thanks supporters after receiving clean chit in rape case
In a major relief for Malayalam actor Nivin Pauly, he has been cleared of all charges by the Kerala police in a rape case filed against him in September.
'RE-RELEASING FILMS IS TOO EXPENSIVE'
As the trend of re-releasing films in theatres gains momentum, director Hansal Mehta shares his take on it
It can get lonely: Sai on constantly seeking work
Actor Sai Tamhankar, who was recently seen in the crime thriller series Manvat Murders, has been dabbling in different industries. She admits that working across mediums without a break does take a toll on her.
