The two doctors share a common past as well. Sachidananda, registrar of the Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, said both Ahmed and Haneef did their MBBS at the Dr B R Ambedkar Medical College in Kadugondanahalli, Bangalore.

Both are distantly related to each other as well, and the two families know each other well.

Ahmed, a resident of Bangalore, completed his medicine in November 2004. Hailing from a family of doctors, he too like Haneef was selected under the merit quota. He was not as bright as Haneef academically, say sources, although both passed with a second class.

Sachidananda said Ahmed took two years to complete his first year of MBBS, and took another two years to complete the second year. The final year, however, was completed in one attempt, the registrar added.

Ahmed, who was born on April 21, 1981, secured 72.6 per cent in his pre-university. Both Ahmed and Haneef had worked together in Halton Hospital in Cheshire in 2005. Sachidananda said the turn of events were unfortunate and hoped there will be some clarity to the entire case soon.

The college view: The Dr B R Ambedkar Medical college administration, which had reacted with shock over Haneef's detention, stated that Ahmed's detention has come as a double blow.

Ahmed is a resident of Banashankari II stage in Bangalore. Both his parents are doctors. His parents were practicing until recently, and decided to stop their practice after their son settled down in life.

Mother speak: His mother, Dr Zakia Ahmed, said these were testing times. "Allah is testing us. I am confident that my son will come out clean. There is no arrest made and my son has only been detained for questioning."

Asked if she knew Haneef, she said he was distantly related to them. She added that she knew Haneef quite well as he and Sabeel were college-mates. She said Haneef was a very shy person, while her son was more of an extrovert who would not dream of hurting anyone.

She said she last spoke to Sabeel on Sunday. Her son would call her every day, but all of a sudden when he stopped calling she got worrried.

Asked if her son could be a fundamentalist, she shot back, saying, "Who is not a fundamentalist? You too are a fundamentalist. Everyone follows their religion and my son too was doing the same."