Hyderabad: Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik on Tuesday got back his passport which was in possession of a local court for about a fortnight after a cheating case was registered against him by his now divorced wife Ayesha Siddiqui.
Shoaib`s counsel Javed Razack was handed over the
passport and two booklets after the counsel moved an
application before an additional chief metropolitan magistrate
along with an order copy of the Andhra Pradesh High Court
directing it to return the passport.
The magistrate initially sought Razack`s identity proof
and after submission of the same allowed the petition for
issuance of the passport.
Shoaib Malik is now free to travel outside India or
anywhere in India, Razack told reporters.
The case against Shoaib will be closed in due process of
time as it involves legal process, the counsel said, adding
there was no need for his client to make in person appearance
before the court for closure of the case.
The Andhra Pradesh High Court had yesterday ordered the
release of the cricketer`s passport in the wake of the
Hyderabad police seeking closure of the cheating case filed
against him by Ayesha.
The police had taken away the cricketer`s passport on
April 5 and asked him not to leave the country after the case
was registered against him based on a complaint by Ayesha,
whom he subsequently divorced after denying that he had
married her.
After Shoaib divorced Ayesha, the Siddiquis submitted an
application to the Central Crime Station (CCS) -- a wing of
Hyderabad police which investigated the case-- to withdraw the
complaint.
Razack said "Shoaib is eagerly waiting to get back his
passport and I will pass him the good news. I am on way to
hand over the passport to Shoaib Malik".
The over ten-day drama and controversy surrounding
Shoaib ended with his marriage to Indian Tennis star Sania
Mirza here on April 12.
Shoaib had yesterday said that Sania and he will be
leaving for Pakistan in another few days.
PTI
