Indian uni student illegally detained, commission finds

AN INDIAN student who paid thousands of dollars to study in Australia was illegally detained at the Villawood detention centre for 18 months because of mistakes by immigration officers, the Australian Human Rights Commission has found.

The commission President, Catherine Branson, has written to the Immigration Minister, Chris Bowen, with her finding that Prashant Cherkupalli, 31, be paid compensation of $597,000 for the 509 days he was illegally detained between November 2004 and April 2006.   Full Read