Police Quizzes Shoaib, who Says He Was Cheated, Tricked in Marriage

During interrogation, Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik has said that he was tricked into marriage with local girl Ayesha Siddiqui, said media reports.

Ayesha’s father Mohammed Siddiqui had made a complaint of cheating against Shoaib at the Banjara Hill police station and police interrogated him in the regard.

Acting on the complaint, police reached the posh Jubilee Hill residence of the tennis star in the morning where Shoaib has been staying since his arrival in the city on Saturday, reports said.

However, in a fresh trouble for Shoaib, the Hyderabad police alerted the immigration officials about the criminal complaint, a step that could pose trouble for the cricketer to leave the country, said reports.

“We are trying to collect evidence. Shoaib is cooperating and Sania is supporting him. They say they know the truth behind the whole issue,” a police official was quoted as saying following a one-and-a-half-hours interrogation of the cricketer.

Shobai told police that he was ‘cheated’ by Siddiqui family and tricked into marriage, reports said quoting the official.

Yesterday, Shoaib had claimed that he was emotionally forced into the ‘nikahnama’ with Ayesha but said the marriage was invalid as her family had cheated him and ruled out divorce.

He claimed that he had not as yet met the girl whose photographs Siddiqui family sent to him purported to be than of Ayesha.

Hyderabad Police Commissioner A K Khan said that the charges against Shoaib are that of harassment of Ayesha, cheating to marry another girl and criminal intimidation including threats to her to keep quiet, reports said.

The Banjara Hills police said that a case under Sections 420 (cheating), 498-A (dowry harassment) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of IPC was registered against Shoaib and they would take up the investigation after verifying facts of the complaint, said reports.

Khan said an FIR was made out and it would be followed by collection of evidence and taking legal advice since Shoaib is a Pakistani national, reports said.

“The Banjara Hills police have received a complaint by Ayesha Siddiqui against Shoaib Malik. We have registered a case against Shoaib. Now we will take legal opinion quickly before taking further action,” Additional Commissioner of Police (Co-ordination), Dwarka Thirumala Rao was quoted as saying.

(Based on internet reports)