Qatar case: MEA says 8th Indian will return once requirements fulfilled

NEW DELHI: The lone Indian national who could not return to India from Qatar along with seven of his colleagues around two-and-a-half weeks ago will return home once certain requirements are fulfilled, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Thursday.

Seven of the eight former Indian Navy personnel returned to India on February 12 after Qatar freed them.

The Navy veterans were given death sentences by Qatar’s Court of First Instance on October 26 last year. The Court of Appeal in the Gulf country commuted the capital punishment on December 28 and sentenced them to jail terms for varying durations.

The former Indian Navy personnel apparently faced charges of espionage, but neither the Qatari authorities nor New Delhi made the charges against them public.

“As you know, all eight Indian nationals who were involved in the Al-Dahra Global case have been released. Seven of them have returned to India,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said at his weekly media briefing here.

“The eighth Indian national has certain requirements to fulfill. He will return as and when those are completed,” he said, replying to a question.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, during his recent visit to Qatar, conveyed his “deep appreciation” to Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani for the release of the eight Indians. PTI MPB RC