By IANS
New Delhi : India will request the Australian government to grant Muhammad Haneef a "regular visa" after the Indian doctor was Friday cleared of all charges of supporting those involved in the failed British bombings.
"The Indian High Commission in Canberra has been instructed to support Haneef to get a visa. The high commission will also approach the Australian government for a regular visa," said Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed.
"We are happy that an Indian citizen has been absolved of charges of supporting terrorism. The government has been extending all possible support to him," Ahamed told IANS.
According to the minister, if Haneef is deported he will be unable to go back to Australia. So he would like to come back home on a regular visa.
Amid concern over Haneef being charged on flimsy grounds, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had stated that the Australian government should give him all the facilities under the law and the rights he was entitled to.
The 27-year-old Gold Coast registrar's 457 work visa was cancelled after he was charged with "recklessly" providing support to terrorists planning the botched British bombings.
Haneef was arrested on July 2 while flying out to India on a one-way ticket from Brisbane and charged with giving his mobile phone SIM card to people planning the bomb attacks in London and Glasgow.
Since July 18, he has been in solitary confinement in a Brisbane detention centre and his work visa has been cancelled.