India on Thursday said it is still pursuing the case of eight former Indian Navy personnel held in Qatar on unspecified charges even as the families of the detained men had been allowed to meet or speak to them more frequently.
“We remain seized of this matter. Our embassy is actively pursuing the case. We understand the detained Indians are able to speak to their families in India over telephone on a regular basis,” external affairs ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi told a weekly media briefing.
Some of the detained men with families in Doha are being allowed to meet them on a weekly basis, and India will continue to extend all consular assistance to them, Bagchi said.
The Indian side is also seeking further consular access to the men, who were all detained on August 30. Qatari authorities are yet to officially state why they were detained.
All eight men were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private firm owned by a retired Oman air force officer that provides training and other services to Qatar’s armed forces.
Indian officials have been provided consular access to the detained men only once.
{{/usCountry}}Indian officials have been provided consular access to the detained men only once.
{{/usCountry}}Several of the detained men held senior positions in the Indian Navy and even commanded warships. Commander (retired) Purnendu Tiwari, who served as Dahra Global’s managing director, is among the detained Indians and has been recognised for his work in Qatar.