By IANS
New Delhi : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday hoped that Australia would extend "all the facilities" under the law and the rights entitled to Muhammad Haneef, the Indian doctor held there since early July for his suspected role in the botched British bombings.
"We hope that they (Australian authorities) will extend all the facilities within the law and the rights he is entitled to," Manmohan Singh told IANS on the sidelines of a function to release the book, "The Indian CEO: A Portrait of Excellence".
"We are in touch with the (Australian) government. The minister of external affairs is also in touch with his counterpart in the Australian government," the prime minister said.
The book release was held at 7 Race Course Road, the prime minister's official residence.
Haneef, 27, has been in custody since July 2 but was only charged Saturday, sparking growing criticism of his 12-day detention without charge.
His lawyers are expected to file an appeal in the Federal Court, seeking a judicial review of Minister for Immigration and Citizenship Kevin Andrews's decision to revoke the Indian's 457 Visa.
The Indian government had earlier asked Australia's envoy here that Haneef should be treated "fairly and justly under Australian law".
Haneef's family in Bangalore insists he is innocent and has no links to the British bomb plot for which his two cousins are held in Britain.