Malik faces heat over bigamy claim
Source: Agencies |
April 6, 2010, Tuesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
INDIAN police yesterday seized the passport of Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik - soon to wed Indian tennis player Sania Mirza - and questioned him in connection with allegations that he already has a wife, officers said.
Two of South Asia's best known sports personalities, Malik and Mirza planned to marry in April and settle in Dubai. But in a case whose twists and turns have gripped India, a woman called Ayesha Siddiqui filed a police case against Malik claiming the two were married in 2002 and has demanded a divorce.
Malik arrived in India last week and is staying at Mirza's house in the southern city of Hyderabad, where police questioned him for nearly two hours. They have also alerted Indian airports not to allow the cricketer to leave the country.
"The case is under investigation. We have come here for investigations," said Assistant Commissioner of Police R. Ravinder Reddy yesterday.
After speaking to the police, Malik and Mirza appeared before reporters and said they were going ahead with the wedding on April 15.
"I am very upset (by the controversy)," Mirza said. "It's very painful for my family. But we are happy that we are getting married.
"I have full faith in him. We know what the truth is. It will come out."
Malik said he would stay in India to clear his name.
"I am cooperating with the police. I have done nothing wrong," he said, adding that Siddique should prove her claim in a court.
Malik admitted in a statement that he signed a nikahnama (marriage certificate) eight years ago but claimed he was duped.
After developing a friendship on the internet, Malik said in the statement he married a woman named Ayesha over the telephone in June 2002 but he believed he had been deceived by another woman claiming to be Ayesha Siddique.
"I wasn't happy doing this because I hadn't told my parents," he said. "There was a lot of pressure on me from Ayesha."
Malik said Siddique introduced herself as his fan living in Saudi Arabia, but would turn down requests to meet, and instead sent photographs.
Two of South Asia's best known sports personalities, Malik and Mirza planned to marry in April and settle in Dubai. But in a case whose twists and turns have gripped India, a woman called Ayesha Siddiqui filed a police case against Malik claiming the two were married in 2002 and has demanded a divorce.
Malik arrived in India last week and is staying at Mirza's house in the southern city of Hyderabad, where police questioned him for nearly two hours. They have also alerted Indian airports not to allow the cricketer to leave the country.
"The case is under investigation. We have come here for investigations," said Assistant Commissioner of Police R. Ravinder Reddy yesterday.
After speaking to the police, Malik and Mirza appeared before reporters and said they were going ahead with the wedding on April 15.
"I am very upset (by the controversy)," Mirza said. "It's very painful for my family. But we are happy that we are getting married.
"I have full faith in him. We know what the truth is. It will come out."
Malik said he would stay in India to clear his name.
"I am cooperating with the police. I have done nothing wrong," he said, adding that Siddique should prove her claim in a court.
Malik admitted in a statement that he signed a nikahnama (marriage certificate) eight years ago but claimed he was duped.
After developing a friendship on the internet, Malik said in the statement he married a woman named Ayesha over the telephone in June 2002 but he believed he had been deceived by another woman claiming to be Ayesha Siddique.
"I wasn't happy doing this because I hadn't told my parents," he said. "There was a lot of pressure on me from Ayesha."
Malik said Siddique introduced herself as his fan living in Saudi Arabia, but would turn down requests to meet, and instead sent photographs.
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