Dahra Global Technologies had been paying salaries even after the officers were taken away by Qatar’s Interior Ministry on August 31 last year

NEW DELHI: Eight veterans of the Indian Navy, who have been kept in solitary confinement by authorities in Doha since August 2022, were given severance letters by their employer Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services. This means they would no longer get a salary.

Dahra Global Technologies had been paying salaries even after the officers were taken away by Qatar’s Interior Ministry on August 31 last year. “Not just the eight Naval veterans, but also other Indians working in the company have been asked to leave. There are over 150 former Indian Navy personnel who were working for Dahra in Doha and all of them have been offered severance packages and they have been informed that the company would close on May 31,” a source said.

“Many have returned and some are in the process of returning. In line with this, the eight former Naval veterans, who have been under solitary confinement, too, have been given the same,’’ said the source.

One of the biggest concerns for the families of the veterans was the legal expenses. Now, the Indian government will take care of that, a family member of one of the veterans said.

“The next hearing is on May 3. We were concerned about how we would foot the legal bill since our men don’t have their jobs anymore. Thankfully, the government has addressed that concern. Our men have served the nation all their lives and we are sure truth will prevail and they will be back,’’ he said.

Eight Naval veterans have been charged individually and tried under Qatari law. Charges have also been framed against former Oman Air Force officer Khamis al-Ajmi, who is also the CEO of Dahra Global, and Major General Tariq Khalid Al Obaidly, former Head of International Military Operations.