Arcot Nawab commends Australian authorities in Haneef case

Chennai, July 31 (UNI) The Prince of Arcot Nawab Mohammed Abdul Ali today said the Australian investigation authorities should be commended for admitting their mistake and setting Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef free.

In a statement here, he praised both the Indian and the Australian media for ensuring through their unbiased reporting, that justice was done to an innocent man.

Citing Dr Haneef's case as an example, Mr Mohammed urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to intervene to prevent the misuse of prevention detention laws to take note of the fact that there were thousands of innocent persons in India, particularly members of the minority communities.

Pointing out the National Human Rights Commission's report, he said over 74 per cent of the total prison population of India were undertrials.

He said it would amount to failure of secular democracy if this situation was allowed to continue.

The Nawab urged the Centre to review all preventive detention laws and consider repealing them in the interest of democracy and principles of natural justice.

UNI