India left red-faced as ex-Navy commander arrested again in Qatar

NEW DELHI (Web Desk) – Former Indian Navy Commander Purnendu Tiwari has been arrested again in Qatar, months after being released from death row following high-level diplomatic intervention by India, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed on Friday.

MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Tiwari was taken into custody in December 2024 after a Qatari court delivered a verdict in a long-running case. “He was arrested last month in a case that has been going on 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,” Jaiswal told reporters in New Delhi.

Tiwari’s re-arrest has revived international attention on a case that first made global headlines in August 2022, when he and seven other former Indian Navy personnel were detained by Qatari authorities. The charges were never publicly disclosed at the time, fuelling speculation and diplomatic concern in India.

In October 2023, a Qatari court sentenced all eight former officers to death on charges widely reported in regional media as related to espionage, a verdict the Indian government described as “deeply shocking.” Following intense diplomatic engagement, including personal intervention by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Qatar issued a royal pardon, leading to the release of the eight men in February 2024.

While seven of the officers were allowed to return to India, Tiwari was instructed to remain in Doha due to what Qatari authorities described as separate charges pending against him. His family later said these involved financial allegations, which they claim were brought forward after the pardon to justify his continued detention.

Tiwari is also among 22 Indian nationals who were officially pardoned by the Qatari government in 2022 following diplomatic engagement by New Delhi.

According to Indian media reports, New Delhi has maintained regular contact with Tiwari through its embassy in Doha and has also remained engaged with Qatari authorities. However, with the case now before the courts, officials have acknowledged that their ability to publicly comment or influence proceedings is limited.

The issue has also drawn attention in South Asian media, with analysts noting that the detention of Indian military veterans overseas presents not only a legal challenge but also a diplomatic test for New Delhi. Observers have said the prolonged case has kept sensitive questions about military professionalism, overseas deployments and international legal exposure in the spotlight.