Haneef case: Australia sends senior police official to India

MELBOURNE: Australia has sent a senior police official to India as part of its probe into the case of Mohamed Haneef, detained over the foiled UK bomb plot, as investigators said they might need to hold the Indian doctor for longer to glean through the evidence gathered in a series of raids.

Lawyer for the Gold Coast-based Indian doctor, meanwhile, said he may launch an appeal against the continued detention of his client.

The detained Indian doctor's brother Shoaib also hit out at Australian investigators for holding Haneef without charge and for raising suspicions about his financial transfers of funds.

He said Haneef remitted money from his Queensland Health salary to his family in India to help meet living expenses.

Expanding their probe into the case, an Australian Federal Police (AFP) officer has been sent to the home country of the doctor, Federal Attorney General Philip Ruddock on Tuesday said.

"I welcome the cooperation that has been provided to the Australian Federal Police (AFP)," ABC quoted him as saying.

Police custody of the Indian doctor was extended till Wednesday by a Brisbane court, which turned down a police appeal for extending his detention for five more days.

Haneef, 27, is in detention for more than a week without charge in connection with the investigation into the failed attacks in London and Glasgow airport.