The 157 Tamil asylum seekers brought to Curtin detention centre by the Australian government have been denied access to legal advice, sparking concerns they will face interrogation from Indian consular officials before they can speak with lawyers.

Lawyers acting on behalf of the 157 will allege the Australian government illegally intercepted the asylum seekers and falsely imprisoned them "on the high seas" for nearly a month.

A group of asylum seekers get on board an airplane at Cocos Island on Sunday, July 27, en route to Curtin detention centre in Western Australia. Credit:AAP

Following a brief High Court hearing Monday - in which a scheduled August 5 hearing before the High Court was shelved - George Newhouse, acting on behalf of the asylum seekers, said the case had not changed, but the concern the asylum seekers would be summarily returned to Sri Lanka or India had eased.

The 157 were flown to the Australian mainland from the Cocos Islands Sunday.