The news came as a relief, as Qatar has finally released the eight Indian Navy officers. On Monday, February 12, 2024, Qatar released the eight Indian Navy personnel who were sentenced to death in Qatar. The eight officers were released in Doha, and seven of them have already stepped into India.
In August 2022, eight Navy officers were arrested by the Qatari government for passing sensitive submarine-related information to Israeli intelligence. A year later, in December 2023, the Qatari government announced the death penalty for the eight Navy officers.
After continuous efforts, the Navy officers are finally free and back in India. The Indian government has thanked the Emir and Qatar governments for releasing and sending back the Indians.
Is SRK or PM Modi behind the release of Navy personnel?
As the eight Navy personnel have finally been released by the Qatari government and are back home in India, the people are raising questions about who is behind the release of the eight Indians. Some reports are going viral that actor Shah Rukh Khan has urged the Qatari government to release the Navy officers.
One of the BJP politicians, Subramaniam Swami, claimed that the actor intervened in the matter, which led to the release of the Indians. Some people criticized the statement of the leader and stated that the Indian government played a crucial role in the case.
Now the team of Shah Rukh Khan has released a statement that states that Mr. Khan has no involvement in the release of the Navy personnel. The statement specifically mentions that it is all because of the Government of India.
While some reports suggest that Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally looked over the matter, was constantly checking, and was in touch with Qatari officials and the government. After the release, the Navy personnel thanked PM Narendra Modi for his intervention in their release.
PM Modi to visit Qatar on 14 February 2024?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a two-day trip to the UAE for the BAPS Hindu temple inauguration in Abu Dhabi, Dubai. However, just a day before PM Modi’s trip, the news of eight Navy personnel’s release came out. On Monday, February 12, 2024, it was confirmed that eight Navy officers who were arrested and sentenced to the death penalty in Qatar have been released after two years.
It was then also reported that PM Modi would also be visiting Qatar on February 14, 2024, after inaugurating the Hindu temple in Dubai. PM Modi said that his next visit to Qatar will strengthen relations between the two countries. It will be PM Modi’s first visit after 2016 to Qatar, and he will personally thank the officials of Qatar for releasing the Indian officers.