MEA 'Ex-Naval Officer Purnendu Tiwari Sentenced by Qatar Court in Separate Case'

Former naval officer Commander Purnendu Tiwari (retd) has been sentenced by Qatar Court of Cassation in a separate case, distinct from the one in which he was exonerated two years ago along with seven other former naval personnel, the government said on Thursday. 

At the weekly briefing, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated that Tiwari was sentenced along with an Omani owner and a Qatari officer. The judgment was delivered in February 2026.

He said the Government of India has



extended all possible assistance to Tiwari and continues to do so. Officials from the Indian Embassy in Doha have remained in touch with his family and have met him in detention on multiple occasions. 

The MEA clarified that this case is unrelated to the earlier espionage case in which Tiwari and seven others were detained and later released following India’s intervention. 

Tiwari was among the eight Indians who had been accused of espionage in Qatar but were subsequently cleared of the charges and released.