Andrews says he won't restore Haneef's visa

MELBOURNE: Facing calls for an inquiry into his handling of the case of Mohammed Haneef, Australian Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews on Sunday said he would not reinstate the Indian doctor's visa which he cancelled on character grounds.

27-year-old Haneef, who was held on July 2 in connection with the failed terror plot in the UK, was released after the police dropped terror charges against him on Friday.

"His visa's been cancelled and unless there is some overturning of that by the Federal Court, it's my indication that that visa will remain cancelled," Andrews told a local media channel.

"Nothing has changed in terms of the circumstances in which I had to make a decision concerning Haneef," Andrews said amid intense criticism of his intervention in the case.

After almost four weeks behind bars, Haneef, who left for India on Saturday night, is expected to reveal his side of the story during a paid interview with the Nine Network.

Andrews, who revoked Haneef's visa on July 16 and placed him in detention despite a magistrate granting him bail, said that advice from the Commonwealth Solicitor General had found it was open for the government to cancel Haneef's visa regardless of the charge being dropped.

Lawyers for Haneef are fighting in the Federal Court to have his work visa reinstated so he can one day return to live and work in Australia.