'Bharat Mata Ki Jai': Qatar Frees Navy Veterans, Seven Return To India, Praise PM Modi

In a significant diplomatic victory for India, eight Indian Navy veterans previously convicted to death in Qatar were freed on Monday.

Following diplomatic intervention by New Delhi, the death penalty had been previously modified to a prolonged jail sentence.

In response to frantic pleadings from the Navy veterans' families for their release and safe passage back to their homeland, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had promised to deploy all diplomatic channels and offer legal help to bring them back.

In an official statement on Monday, it was stated by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) that seven of the eight former Navy officers had already returned to India.

Upon setting foot in their nation after many excruciating months of detention in Qatar, appreciation was showered on Prime Minister Narendra Modi by the seven Indian naval veterans, claiming they would not have been liberated if relentless diplomatic efforts to obtain their release had not been made by him.

Upon landing at the Delhi airport early on Monday, the chanting of "Bharat Mata ki Jai" was begun by the seven ex-Navy officers.

India Celebrates Diplomatic Triumph

The decision to set the veteran officers free was welcomed by the Union government in an official statement, stating, "The release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar is welcomed by the Government of India. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. The decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals is appreciated."

The eight Indian nationals, detained in October 2022 and held in a jail in Qatar on charges of spying on submarine development, had been condemned to death by a Qatari court on allegations not yet formally made public.

Earlier, the temporal significance of this period was emphasised by the newly appointed spokesperson for the Ministry of External Affairs, Jaiswal, stating, "Regarding the issue, there is a time of 60 days when this issue can be appealed in the Court of Cassation, which is the highest court in Qatar."

The confidential court order detailing the commutation of the death sentences to imprisonment terms is possessed by the MEA's legal team, a move revealed in a press release following the court of appeal's judgement on December 28.

"We issued a press release informing that the death sentence, originally a death penalty, has been changed to imprisonment sentences. Now our legal team possesses that court order, and I can confirm that all of them have received sentences of different durations, and the death penalty has been abolished," Jaiswal said.

Furthermore, according to a statement from the Ministry of External Affairs, the Qatari Court of First Instance ruled against them.

The recent meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad, the Emir of Qatar, was also emphasized by the MEA spokesman, stating that they had a positive discussion on the bilateral relationship in general.

Speaking to ANI, Prime Minister Modi was praised by a Navy veteran for discussing their sentence with Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar and credited for their release via persistent diplomatic efforts.

"I feel relieved and delighted to be back home safe and sound finally. Prime Minister Modi is thanked as this wouldn't have been possible had it not been for his intervention to secure our release. Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the Emir of the State of Qatar, is also thanked," he said.

Wearing a relieving smile and a calm demeanour, another released former naval officer told ANI, "Without the intervention of PM Modi, we would not have walked free. We wouldn't be standing before you today had it not been for his untiring efforts and interventions at the highest levels to get us freedom."

Another freed navy veteran also praised the Centre's intervention in securing their release, saying, "We, as well as our anxious family members back home, had been waiting for this day for a long time. It all worked out because of PM Modi and his intervention. He took up our case with the highest levels of the Qatari government and eventually secured our release. I don't have enough words to express my gratitude to him and the Emir of Qatar."

"We are very happy to be back and it wouldn't have been possible had the honourable Prime Minister not taken personal interest in the matter. The Qatar Emir is also thanked for his involvement in the matter," another former Navy officer told ANI.

"We waited almost 18 months to be back home to our loved ones in India. PM Modi is extremely grateful for getting us back. We wouldn't have seen this day without the joint efforts of PM Modi and the Emir of Qatar. The personal equations that the two leaders share also helped in our release," another Navy veteran told ANI after landing in Delhi.