India extending all possible consular help to naval veteran arrested in Qatar: MEA

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said on Friday that the Indian Embassy in Doha is extending all possible consular help to naval veteran Purnendu Tiwary, who was arrested in December last year in a case that has been going in Qatar for some time now. 

While addressing a weekly media briefing in New Delhi on Friday, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that Tiwary was arrested following a court verdict and added that the matter is still sub judice.

"He was arrested last month in a case that has been going on in Qatar for quite some time now. As per our information, apart from him, there are several others who have been arrested as well, but they are not Indian nationals, they are of other nationalities," said Jaiswal.

"Our embassy is in touch with Commander Tiwari and his family and is extending all possible consular help to him. The arrest happened after a court verdict. This matter presently is sub judice and it would not be appropriate for me to comment any further on this issue," he added.

Retired Indian Navy Commander Purnendu Tiwary, who belongs to Gwalior, is one of the eight ex-Navy officers pardoned by Qatar's Emir nearly two years ago. He remains imprisoned in Doha amid a new legal entanglement, sparking renewed concerns over his health and India's diplomatic efforts.

Tiwary, 65, was among the veterans arrested in August 2022 on espionage charges while working for a private firm in Qatar.

Initially sentenced to death, their penalties were commuted to prison terms by Qatar's Court of Appeal in December 2023, granting them 60 days to appeal.

In February 2024, seven officers returned to India following a royal pardon. However, Tiwary was left behind due to a travel ban linked to financial irregularities at his employer, Dahra Global Technologies.

Commander Tiwary's sister Meetu Bhargava has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi and External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar to intervene urgently in her brother's case.

According to Bhargava's recent post on X on December 30, 2025, Tiwary has been "dragged" into a secondary case 'stitched' from the original, resulting in a six-year sentence for criminal conspiracy and money laundering. He has been in jail for the past month, enduring what she calls 'severe ignominy' despite his decorated service and receipt of the President's Pravasi Bharatiya Samman Award.

Tiwary's health has deteriorated alarmingly, with hypertension, diabetes, and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) from prolonged solitary confinement posing life-threatening risks, reports said.

Bhargava also appealed to the Chief of Naval Staff, urging the defence fraternity to rally for his release.

Picture Courtesy: IANS