Officials from the Indian High Commission have met Muhammad Haneef and said he is in good health, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed said.
NEW DELHI: Officials from the Indian High Commission in Canberra have met Muhammad Haneef, the Indian doctor held in an Australian correction centre on charges of involvement with the failed British bombings, and said he is in good health, Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed said on Saturday.
"Officials from the Indian high commission met Haneef Saturday and have told us that he is in good health," Ahamed told over the phone from Bangalore.
"But Haneef is apparently very worried because more charges have been raised against him," Ahamed said.
The minister said the details about the meeting with the 27-year-old Indian doctor had been conveyed to his father-in-law in Bangalore by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The Indian government had Friday sought consular access to Haneef for the second time after his wife Firdous Arshiya met the minister in Bangalore.
The ministry also has arranged a visa for one of Haneef's family members to travel to Australia to help fight his case.
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 has cancelled his 457 work visa and held him in immigration detention.
Meanwhile, the Australian media reported that the police have admitted the charges against Haneef were "incorrect".
Ahamed also said the Indian government had expressed its concerns over Haneef's detention to Australian authorities.
Under Australian law, there is a provision for a just and fair trial, a desire that the Prime Minister had expressed before, Ahamed said.
External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, he said, had had a telephonic conversation with Australian authorities on the issue.
Regarding his meeting with Haneef's wife Firdous, he said that the family had requested him to help expedite the visa of her relative and this had been followed up.
The Prime Minister, Ahamed said, had asked him to extend all possible help to Haneef's family and efforts were being made in this directio said the usual procedures laid down for this purpose would have to be followed, including sending letters rogatory.
"We also have to see what information they have sought, what they wish to ascertain," he said. "We have to be careful in all these matters."
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