Melbourne: An Indian-origin doctor, who had served 18 months in jail after being convicted of sexually assaulting one of his patients in Australia, has been taken into custody by the Immigration Department.
Suhail Durani, 36, who had his permanent residency revoked four months ago after serving the jail term has been fighting to stay in Australia.
According to ABC news, Durani was taken into custody by the Immigration Department in Perth.
Durani was convicted of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old patient at Royal Perth Hospital.
Earlier in May this year, Durani was released from the detention centre in Perth where he was held since his release from Casuarina prison in February.
He was taken to the detention centre after he had his visa cancelled on the day he left the prison.
Durani then lodged an appeal with the Administrative Appeals Tribunal to fight the deportation order and argued that he should not be separated from his family.
In its review of the decision, the tribunal had ruled that he should be allowed to keep his visa.
He was sentenced in 2011 to two years and four months' jail on five counts of sexual, unlawful and indecent assault. Durani had pleaded not guilty to the charges and insisted he was innocent, despite losing an appeal against his conviction last year.
He arrived in Australia in 2006 on a temporary foreign doctor's visa and became a permanent resident in 2009. He married his cousin, Indian dentist Falaq Durani, in 2007, and their son was born in India in 2009.
Former president of Ethnic Communities Council, Suresh Rajan, said Durani was taken into custody on Friday after the outgoing Immigration Minister, Tony Burke, cancelled his visa.
“Absolutely disgraceful behaviour is about the only thing I can describe it as,” Rajan said, adding “There are no reasons that have been advanced and clearly this is completely in violation of any human rights issues that we might have.”
