"Our stand had been vindicated and the truth has prevailed." That is how the family of reacted after an Australian court decided to revoke the visa of the Bangalore-born doctor Haneef Ahmed.
Though the doctor refused to speak to the media, his relative Imran Siddique said it was a moment of joy.
Siddique said the ball now was in the court of Australian immigration minister, Kevin Andrews and it is up to him to permit Haneef to return and work in Australia. He said that he hoped that the minister would take into account the correct facts in the case and not rely on piecemeal information from some agencies.
Siddique, however, did not specify when Haneef could return to Australia. Other family members, however, said Haneef would not leave for Australia immediately. He would wait for at least three weeks before taking any decision, they said. Sources said that the family anticipates an appeal by the Australian government against Tuesday's decision. The government had been granted three weeks to file an appeal.