Ex-Indian Navy officer Purnendu Tiwary's case sub-judice in Qatar court: Official

New Delhi: A sub-judice case in a Qatar court is leading to the delay in the return of former Indian Navy officer Purnendu Tiwary, who was freed from death-row charges along with seven of his compatriots last year.

Last year, the Qatari court released eight former Indian Navy officials, who were on death row for unspecified charges. Seven of them returned to India in February last year, while Tiwary continues to remain in Qatar.

"His matter still remains sub-judice in a local court in Qatar," Arun Kumar Chatterjee, Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, told reporters here when asked about Tiwary's case.

Sources said the sub-judice case in question pertains to another matter and is not connected to the one that had led Tiwary to death row.

However, the issue did not figure in Tuesday's talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani, who is on a state visit to India.

Around 600 Indian nationals are lodged in various jails in Qatar. In 2024, around 85 Indians received pardon.

The ordeal of the eight former Navy officials began in August 2022, when Qatari authorities arrested them.

The precise charges against the officials, who were employed with Dahra Global, a company that specialised in supplying defence and security-related items to the government of Qatar, were never revealed.

The men were given death sentences in October 2023. The move was described as "deeply shocking" by India, which appealed for a reconsideration of the punishment.

Qatar granted consular access to the men and in December 2023, the death sentence was commuted to imprisonment of varying time spans.

The former Navy personnel -- Captain Navtej Singh Gill, Captain Saurabh Vasisht, Captain Birendra Kumar Verma, Commander Sugunakar Pakala, Commander Sanjeev Gupta, Commander Amit Nagpal and Sailor Ragesh -- returned to India in February last year, days before Modi visited Qatar.

The eighth person, Commander Tiwary, continues to remain in Doha.