Police finds proof on Shoaib

The city police has found enough prima facie evidence to arrest Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik in the cheating and harassment case filed by his alleged wife, Ms Ayesha Siddiqui, but is yet to take a decision on affecting the arrest.

Police officers are in consultation with the state government which in turn is seeking the opinion of the Union ministries of home and external affairs before taking the next steps.

Highly placed sources said the officers are discussing the pros and cons as well as the legal implications of arresting the cricketer who is slated to marry tennis star Sania Mirza on April 15.

Earlier, the police had transferred the Shoaib-Ayesha investigation to the detective department of the Central Crime Station (CCS) after questioning both of them. While Shoaib restated his innocence, Ms Ayesha said she had undergone an abortion.

Police who grilled the Pakistani cricketer at the Jubilee Hills residence of tennis star Sania Mirza in crime number 391/2010 also seized his passport.

Sania was sitting near Shoaib during the one-and-a-half hour grilling. Shoaib told the police that Ms Ayesha’s family had duped him.

The additional commissioner of police (co-ordination), Mr D. Tirumala Rao, said, “Shoaib’s passport was seized for investigation. It has not been impounded.

CCS police will send the nikahnama furnished by Ms Ayesha to the AP Forensic Science Laboratory to verify the genuineness of Shoaib’s signature.

The APFSL was closed on Monday. The lab director, Mr O.N. Murthy said, “We can finalise the report in three to four days.”

Police also recorded the statement of Ms Ayesha Siddiqui at her residence. She told them that she had an intimate relationship with Shoaib and had to undergo abortion.

In the FIR, the police has named Shoaib as A-1. None of his family members has been named.

All the case documents have been handed over to the CCS, said the Banjara Hills assistant commissioner of police, Mr R. Ravinder Reddy, who lead the team that grilled Shoaib.

The additional commissioner of police (crimes), Mr Narasimha Reddy, is now monitoring the case.