Suspect: Robert MuratHis aunt Sally Eveleigh, 56, said Mr Murat was desperate to clear his name.
Under Portugal's secrecy laws, he is forbidden from speaking about the case while still a suspect.
The eight-month legal deadline in the case expires today, meaning police would normally be forced to reveal what evidence they have over the disappearance of Madeleine on May 3.
But the public prosecutor has applied to extend the deadline for three months as Gerry and Kate McCann have not yet been re-interviewed by detectives.
The request seems virtually certain to be granted, as it would be disastrous to the police case for them to be forced to reveal the alleged evidence against the couple before questioning them again.
But Mrs Eveleigh called for Mr Murat's case to be considered separately, saying: "Either charge him or let him go. The worst thing that could happen
Murat's lawyer, Francisco Pagarete, said today it would be "cruel" of detectives to keep his client as a suspect any longer.
He said: "The truth is there are no grounds to maintain him as a suspect. It would be cruel if this situation was prolonged."
If they fail to clear him, under Portuguese law, they must charge him or reveal what evidence they have against the 34-year-old father.
Murat was declared an official suspect on May 14 and he has claimed that his life has been destroyed by the false allegations.
He has always vehemently denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance and has not had any contact with the Policia Judiciaria since August.
The father-of-one has been unable to work or even see his five-year-old daughter who lives with his ex-wife in Britain.
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And Portugal's strict secrecy laws mean that the former estate agent, who was born in Britain but brought up in Portugal, is not even allowed to discuss the case.Mr Pagarette is hopeful police will use the eight-month deadline to announce their decision to drop the case against him.
He said: "After eight months that is the end of the inquiry, so a suspect must be accused or advised of the suspicions against them.
"The public prosecutor either accuses him or they don't. And that is what I am hoping will happen."
He went on: "We have not had any communication from the police since August.
"Obviously they have already cleared Robert, it is just a question of the deadline."
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Missing: Madeleine McCannBut it is believed the prosecutor has already granted an extension allowing a further period of secrecy for the investigation because of the "special complexity" of the case.
Detectives are also due to re-interview Kate and Gerry in Britain and do not want to make any decision about their status until that is complete.
Suggestions that Murat could soon be in the clear come just days after two new witnesses came forward contradicting his alibi for the evening of May 3.
A total of eight people now claim to have seen him near the McCanns' apartment on the night that Madeleine vanished.
He has always denied leaving his villa that night and his mother has insisted he spent the entire evening indoors with her.
Murat told detectives he did not learn about Madeleine's disappearance until the next morning, when he volunteered his services as a translator to police.
But three of the McCanns' friends - Fiona Payne, Rachael Oldfield and Russell O'Brien - Ocean Club nanny Charlotte Pennington, fellow guest Jayne Jensen and three other unnamed holidaymakers insist they saw him hanging around on the night of May 3.
Meanwhile, Madeleine's parents have said that they will continue looking for their daughter.
They are also trying to adopt a more normal routine - with Gerry going back to work full-time today as a hospital consultant.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-505605/Madeleine-suspect-Robert-Murat-tells-police-Charge-clear-me.html#ixzz13pQUXUlj
