New Delhi: Detained Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef on Wednesday was allowed by the Australian authorities to speak to his wife in Bangalore for the first time since he was taken into custody.
His counsel Peter Russo said that Haneef got in touch with his wife over telephone after the Indian consulate confirmed the phone number for security purposes.
"He got a call through this afternoon Russo said adding. He was fairly elated that he got to make the call, " PTI quoted Russo as saying.
Russo said Haneef was relieved to have spoken with his wife – who recently had a baby – in Bangalore.
The Australian Greens on Wednesday called for Haneef to be charged or released.
“It's quite an extraordinary period of detention,” a news agency quoted Greens senator Kerry Nettle as saying.
But Attorney-General Philip Ruddock said he was satisfied with the request from the police and the decision by the magistrate to grant a limited number of days to continue their investigation.
Meanwhile, The Australian Federal Police's (AFP) application to further extend the detention of Indian doctor Mohamed Haneef has been delayed.
The Australian Police was expected to apply to hold Haneef at the Brisbane watch house for an extra five days. But the accused's lawyer Peter Russo said outside Brisbane Magistrates Court that the application had been delayed.
AFP representatives lodged an application for a five-day extension on Monday, but the magistrate hearing the case only agreed to a 48-hour interim order to allow them to compile their case.
Haneef, a registrar at the Gold Coast Hospital, has been in custody for the ninth day without charge. Legal experts have criticised his detention and have questioned whether the police are doing enough to clear him or charge him.
Back in India, Karnataka Chief Minister H D Kumaraswamy will hold a high level meeting with security officials on the alleged role of city boys Kafeel and Sabeel Ahmed in the attacks.
(With agency inputs)
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