8 Navy veterans, illegally detained in Doha, rely on PM for release

Being forced to speak to his 83-year-old mother in English, who does not understand the language, stuck in solitary confinement for 70 days, and wondering why he was being detained and when the ordeal would end, is how the decorated 63-year-Indian Navy veteran, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, is spending his time at a detention centre in Doha, Qatar.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Tiwari, who is the managing director of the Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy, which trains Doha defence personnel, was taken into illegal detention by the personnel of the Qatar Interior Ministry on the night of 30 August, along with seven other employees, all Indian nationals.

The Qatar government has not made the reasons for their arrest public, despite restricting their liberty and freedom more than 70 days ago. Since then, the website of the Dahra company, too, has become inoperative, leading to speculation whether the eight Indians were being kept in custody by the Qatar government on behalf of a private entity or a business competitor.

Not to be left out, the ISIbacked Pakistani disinformation campaign has come up with multiple "news articles" stating that the eight men were spying for Israel and hence have been arrested. Dahra was providing training to the Qatar navy and its officials, including Tiwari, were respected faces of the 7.5 lakh Indian diaspora and were well-known to the people in the government machinery in Doha. 

Indications are that the detained ex Navy personnel are being mentally harassed by Qatari officials. The relatives of those detained say that the MEA is not concerned about the plight of the Indians.

In January 2019, the then President of India, Ram Nath Kovind conferred the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman to Tiwari who became the first Indian Armed Forces personnel to be awarded this highest honour meant for NRIs/ PIOS. The award was given in recognition of his contribution towards capacity building for the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces, thereby promoting India-Qatar bilateral cooperation, the citation stated.