The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) stated that the Indian Embassy in Doha is providing consular assistance to naval veteran Purnendu Tiwary, who was arrested in Qatar last month. Tiwary, a retired Indian Navy Commander, was among several individuals arrested in a case that has been ongoing in Qatar. While some of the arrested individuals were of other nationalities, Tiwary remains in custody in Doha.
Tiwary, who was pardoned by Qatar’s Emir two years ago, faces a new legal issue in Qatar, raising concerns about his health and India’s diplomatic efforts. Initially accused of espionage and sentenced to death in August 2022, Tiwary and other ex-Navy officers had their penalties reduced to prison terms in December 2023. Despite others returning to India after a royal pardon in February 2024, Tiwary could not leave due to a travel ban associated with financial irregularities at his employer.
Meetu Bhargava, Tiwary’s sister, has called for urgent intervention from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar in her brother’s case. Tiwary, facing a six-year sentence for criminal conspiracy and money laundering, has been in jail for a month. His health has deteriorated significantly, with risks of hypertension, diabetes, and PTSD due to prolonged solitary confinement. Bhargava has also appealed to the Chief of Naval Staff for support in securing Tiwary’s release.
