By IANS
New Delhi/Bangalore : The Australian High Commission Friday granted a visa to a relative of Muhammed Haneef, a suspect in the foiled Britain bombings, while India again sought consular access to the doctor held in an Australian correction centre.
"His visa has been cleared," an official in the Australian High Commission told IANS.
Haneef's wife Firdous had said earlier that her cousin Imran would travel to Australia to help get justice for Haneef and had applied for the visa.
Minister of State of External Affairs E. Ahamed had met the 27-year-old doctor's wife Firdous Arshiya in Bangalore Thursday evening and assured her that one member of the family would get a visa to travel to Australia to help fight Haneef's case.
Ahamed spoke to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday morning and conveyed Arshiya's "grief and concern" and her "gratitude" for the efforts taken by the Indian government to get Haneef released.
"The Indian High Commission in Canberra has sought consular access for the second time to Haneef," Ahamed said.
Speaking in Bangalore, Afshaq Ahmed, Haneef's father-in-law, was also hopeful that Haneef would be freed soon in view of Australian media reports about loopholes in the case against him.
"The facts are coming out now," said Afshaq, a businessman. He added that the mood at home was slightly better after reports of inconsistencies in the police affidavit against Haneef surfaced in Australia.
The minister said that the Indian government had sought all information about the case and pointed out to Australian authorities that Haneef deserved fair treatment and a trial under Australian law.
"The Indian high commissioner there has met the police chief also. The high commission is in touch with the family too," Ahamed explained.
Haneef, who has been kept in solitary confinement, has been charged under Australia's counter-terrorism laws for allegedly supporting a terrorist organisation by "recklessly" giving his mobile phone SIM card to people planning the UK bomb attacks.
Although he was given bail, the Australian government cancelled his 457 work visa and held him in immigration detention.
The minister told Arshiya that the Indian government had been "emboldened" by the observation made by the magistrate, who granted him bail, that Haneef's record was "impeccable" as per the information from the Queensland hospital where he worked.
"I assured her that the Indian government would do everything possible within the law for him. It is our duty to protect an Indian national wherever he is,"Ahamed said.
According to the minister, Arshiya, who has just given birth to a baby girl, was very depressed.
"She said Haneef and the family were against violence and terrorism and that he was innocent," said the minister.