New Delhi: Eight Indian Navy veterans
who were arrested by Qatar over spying charges for Israel have been released, announced the government of India early this morning.
According to the foreign ministry, seven of them have safely returned to India following an 18-month imprisonment in the Middle-Eastern nation.
"The Government of India welcomes the release of eight Indian nationals working for the Dahra Global company who were detained in Qatar. Seven out of the eight of them have returned to India. We appreciate the decision by the Amir of the State of Qatar to enable the release and home-coming of these nationals," the Foreign Ministry said.
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 were arrested in August over spying charges.