An Indian student, who was detained in 2004 by Australia 's Department of Immigration and Citizenship for violating visa rules, is likely to get a compensation of 600,000 Australian dollars after the country's human rights body termed his detention as arbitrary.

Prashant Cherkupalli was detained in late 2004 for working at a bakery in Western Sydney without the correct visa. Cherkupalli, a student of Masters degree in Engineering, had spent nearly 18 months in south-western Sydney 's Villawood Immigration Detention Centre before he was released in April 2006. Since then he has been living on bridging visas there.

He had lodged a case with the Australian Human Rights Commission which released its findings earlier this month. The commission subsequently made recommendations in relation to compensation and also on an apology among others.

The commission also found Cherkupalli should be paid nearly 600,000 Australian dollars in compensation.