Qatar’s top court has rejected the bail plea of former Indian Navy officer Commander Purnendu Tiwari, who remains detained in Doha in a financial case, prompting his family to seek urgent intervention from PM Modi over his worsening health and continued incarceration.
The bail plea of Commander Purnendu Tiwari, the only former Indian Navy officer who has not returned home and remains detained in Qatar in a financial case, has been rejected by the Cassation Court in Doha, the highest judicial authority, his family told Firstpost.
Family appeals for urgent intervention
His sister, Meetu Bhargava, said the family is deeply distressed as her brother’s health continues to deteriorate in custody. Renewing her appeal, she urged the Indian government to intervene at the highest level.
“With folded hands, I humbly request the Hon’ble Prime Minister and the Hon’ble External Affairs Minister to immediately intervene and bring my brother back to India without any further delay,” Bhargava said.
She questioned the continued detention of the 65-year-old Navy veteran despite repeated assurances on humanitarian grounds. “What is the Indian government or the MEA waiting for — for his condition to worsen further? It has been reiterated umpteen times that Commander Purnendu Tiwari, who suffers from severe medical ailments, should not have been put in jail as it is life-threatening for him,” she said. Bhargava added that her brother has been suffering in Doha for the past four years and has spent the last two months in jail.
Allegations against Dahra Global CEO
Earlier, speaking to Firstpost, Bhargava alleged that the CEO of Dahra Global used his influence to shift the entire financial liability onto her brother. She also claimed that authorities forced Tiwari to sign an acknowledgement of alleged involvement while he was kept in solitary confinement.
Only one among eight yet to return
Making an emotional appeal, Bhargava said her brother remains imprisoned despite having committed no wrongdoing. She recalled that seven other Indian Navy veterans were released following the personal intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“Eight Indian Navy veterans were arrested in 2022 on baseless spying charges. All eight were pardoned by the Amir of Qatar after Prime Minister Modi’s intervention. Yet only seven returned to India in February 2024. My brother was stopped despite being similarly placed and working with the same company, Dahra Global,” she told Firstpost.
Commander Tiwari and seven other former Indian Navy personnel were detained in Doha in August 2022 during an investigation. In 2023, Qatari authorities sentenced them to death, though formal charges were never publicly disclosed. The sentences were later overturned, and the Amir of Qatar pardoned all eight veterans.
Firstpost has earlier reached out to the Ministry of External Affairs and the Indian Embassy in Doha for a response. Response is still awaited.
Tiwari faces serious health issues: Family
Earlier, she informed to Firstost about her brother’s deteriorating health, she said, “My brother is 65 years old and suffers from multiple health issues. He was taken into custody again on December 1 and has been in jail since December 6. He has been in jail for the past month despite serious medical problems, without any fault on his part.”
“Our mother is 87 years old and has been waiting for his return for the past three-and-a-half years,” she said.
PM Modi’s intervention led to release of others
The Government of India engaged diplomatically to secure their release. Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally raised the matter with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani. Following this intervention, the Emir granted pardons or commuted the sentences. Seven of the eight veterans were released and returned to India.
After retiring from the Navy, Tiwari joined Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services, a private defence-related company that provides training and support to the Qatar Emiri Naval Forces.
Commander Purnendu Tiwari, a navigation specialist, has commanded INS Magar and served as the fleet navigating officer of the Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet. He has also served aboard Rajput-class destroyers. In 2019, he became the first armed forces veteran to be honoured with the Pravasi Bharatiya Samman, presented by then-President Ram Nath Kovind.
End of Article
