"I am happy to be here. I am relieved and eager to see my daughter", Indian doctor Mohd Haneef said soon after his return home tonight from Australia after being cleared of terror charges.
Haneef's brief comments to reporters came soon after he came out of the Thai Airways flight from Bangkok as he returned in Bangalore afer a 25-day ordeal in Brisbane.
Soon after his arrival, Haneef was taken by his father-in-law Ashwaq to his house where his wife Firdous Arshiya is staying with their one-month old baby Haniya whom he had seen only in photos.
Imran Siddiqui, cousin of Haneef's wife and Peter Russo, lawyer of Haneef, accompanied the Indian doctor to Bangalore from Australia.
Commotion prevailed as Haneef, looking relaxed and cool, landed at the airport with a huge contingent of reporters and photographers mobbing him, making it difficult for him to move out.
Haneef, arrested on July 2 and charged with 'recklessly' supporting a terrorist organisation, was set free on July 27 after the charges were dropped.
Australian Minister Kevin Andrews had cancelled Haneef's work visa last week after a magistrate in Brisbane had granted bail.
{{/usCountry}}Australian Minister Kevin Andrews had cancelled Haneef's work visa last week after a magistrate in Brisbane had granted bail.
{{/usCountry}}After the terrorism charge was dropped climaxing in the face of crumbling evidence, he was given the green signal to go back home without however reinstating his work visa.