Former Indian Navy officer Commander Purnendu Tiwari was arrested once again in Qatar in December following a court verdict, as confirmed by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Friday.
MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal addressed the situation, stating, “He was arrested last month in a case that has been ongoing in Qatar for quite some time now… there are several others who have been arrested, but they are not Indian nationals. Our embassy is in touch with Commander Tiwari and his family… The arrest happened after a court verdict. This matter is sub judice and it would not be appropriate for me to comment any further.”
Tiwari had previously been taken into custody in August 2022, alongside seven other former Indian Navy personnel. The Qatari authorities did not disclose the specific charges against them.
In October 2023, they were handed a death sentence, a decision that India called “deeply shocking.” After diplomatic efforts by the Indian government, the eight men were released in February 2024. While seven returned to India, Tiwari was asked to remain in Qatar due to ongoing charges against him.
