www.expressindia.com - Weather | Horoscope | Stocks | RSS
expressindia web city
HomeBlogsCricketAstrologyShoppingTendersClassifieds OpinionsTravel Jobs
| Make this your homepage | Archive
Expressindia » Story

Australian court reserves decision in Haneef visa appeal

Font Size

Agencies

Posted: Nov 15, 2007 at 0000 hrs IST

Melbourne, November 15: An Australian court on Thursday reserved its verdict on an appeal by Immigration Minister Kevin Andrews against its earlier decision to reinstate the visa of Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef, who was cleared of terror charges in connection with the failed UK car bombings.

On August 21, the Brisbane federal court Justice Jeffery Spender found Andrews used the wrong legal test to cancel the visa of Haneef, who spent nearly a month in custody before being absolved of charges against him in July.

He ruled that Andrews was wrong to use Haneef's association with his second cousins and UK terrorism suspects Sabeel and Kafeel Ahmed, local radio channel in Melbourne on Thursday.

Haneef's lawyers argued that Andrews acted improperly in cancelling the visa because he wanted to keep the Indian doctor in jail rather than deport him and this aspect should have been taken into consideration.

Solicitor General David Bennett, on behalf of Andrews, told the full bench that changes to the Migration Act set a "deliberately low bar" for the minister to decide if a person is not of good character because of his associations.

"Andrews had not been wrong in his act as Haneef's association with the Ahmeds went beyond family ties or casual acquaintance," he argued adding that under the amended Act, it was difficult to allow ministerial discretion.

The court heard the easiest way to view the changes was whether the minister believed a person was mates with people who are not of good character.

The court has reserved its decision to a date to be fixed.

Meanwhile, lawyers for Haneef were hoping to present fresh evidence in their round-two court battle to have the one-time terror suspect's immigration visa reinstated, 'The Age' reported.

Haneef's barrister, Stephen Keim SC, is expected to seek permission from three Federal Court judges later on Thursday to use the evidence - believed to be a series of potentially damaging government emails - in appeal proceedings launched by Andrews to block a possible return to Australia by Haneef.

Ads by Google
Discuss this story on expressindia forums
Post Comments
Name* Email ID*
Subject* Country*
Message*
Characters remaining
 
TERMS OF USE: The views, opinions and comments posted are your, and are not endorsed by this website. You shall be solely responsible for the comment posted here. The website reserves the right to delete, reject, or otherwise remove any views, opinions and comments posted or part thereof. You shall ensure that the comment is not inflammatory, abusive, derogatory, defamatory &/or obscene, or contain pornographic matter and/or does not constitute hate mail, or violate privacy of any person (s) or breach confidentiality or otherwise is illegal, immoral or contrary to public policy. Nor should it contain anything infringing copyright &/or intellectual property rights of any person(s).
I agree to the terms of use.

Latest News

Business

Showbiz

Sports

Hand over wanted fugitives to us: India tells Pak

3 killed, 30 injured in Assam train blast

US warned India 'twice' about sea attack: Report

Beleaguered Deshmukh summoned to Delhi

Pune tense after police get bomb threat

Voting underway in Mizoram assembly poll

Pakistan, an international migraine: Albright

More
© 2008 Indian Express Newspapers (Mumbai) Ltd. All rights reserved
The Indian Express Group | Advertise With Us | Privacy Policy | Feedback | Work With Us | Site Map