New Delhi:

Eight Indian Navy veterans jailed in Qatar over alleged spying expenses have been launched, the federal government mentioned early this morning. Seven of them are already again in India after an 18-month jail keep within the Center-East nation.

“The Authorities of India welcomes the discharge of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra International firm who have been detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We recognize the choice by the Amir of the State of Qatar to allow the discharge and home-coming of those nationals,” the Overseas Ministry mentioned.

Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Commander Purnendu Tiwari, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal, and Sailor Ragesh have been arrested in August and had been in jail since.

They have been employed by a non-public agency, Dahra International, and have been in Qatar to help with the introduction of Italian U212 stealth submarines into the Qatari Emiri Naval Pressure of their private roles.

A Qatari court docket sentenced them to dying on October 26, 2023. India had mentioned it was “deeply shocked” by the decision and that it was exploring all authorized choices.

The capital punishment was commuted in December following India’s diplomatic intervention.

The Navy veterans, now again within the nation, thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the federal government for securing their launch.

“We’re very joyful that we’re again in India, safely. Undoubtedly, we wish to thank PM Modi as this was solely potential due to his private intervention,” mentioned one in every of them.

“We waited nearly for 18 months to be again in India. We’re extraordinarily grateful to the PM. It would not have been potential with out his private intervention and his equation with Qatar. We’re grateful to the Authorities of India from the underside of our hearts for each effort that has been made and at the present time will not have been potential with out these efforts,” mentioned one other.