NEW DELHI: It is already been a long haul for the eight former naval officers who have been kept under solitary confinement in Doha for six months now and the wait has been extended by another month as their application for bail got rejected for the sixth time today in Qatar.
Families of these officials were hoping that today being Republic Day in India, there would be news of repatriation or at least a grant of bail. However, the wait has got extended by a month.
"The officials can file an appeal on January 29th, but as of now, their confinement has been extended for another month. Also, what is intriguing is that no charges have been framed against any of them so far. We have little information on what keeps their repatriation under hold for so long,’’ said sources.
Meanwhile, families of those officers who live in Doha have been permitted to send them home-cooked food. And families who have travelled from India to visit them have said that the officers are being taken care of by the Qatari government.
"There are no signs of any untoward treatment. The officers, despite being under solitary confinement for six months now are being treated with civility, and that is heartening,’’ said sources.
Meanwhile, Dahra Consultancies, where these officials were working are taking care of the kin of these officials and are in regular touch with them.
The Indian embassy too has been facilitating family members to meet the officials in person and make one phone call back home every week to family members who haven’t been able to travel to Doha.
While the wait has been arduously long for these eight naval officers who are hoping for repatriation to India soon, we hope that justice may be delayed but not denied.