NEW DELHI: Eight Indian employees of the Al Dahra company in Qatar have been sentenced to death penalty by the Court of First Instance of Qatar on Thursday.

India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) expressed deep shock regarding this incident while it awaits detailed judgment.

“We are in touch with the family members and the legal team. We are exploring all legal options,” the MEA said.

“We attach high importance to this case, and have been following it closely. We will continue to extend all consular and legal assistance. We will also take up the verdict with Qatari authorities. Due to the confidential nature of proceedings of this case, it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this juncture,” it said.

The eight Indian nationals were imprisoned in Qatar since October 2022 and were accused of allegedly spying on a submarine program.

New Delhi had been granted consular access to the eight Indians and had been working to secure their release.