Cheating case against Shoaib Malik

The controversy over the alleged first marriage of Shoaib Malik with Hyderabadi girl Ayesha Siddiqui took yet another turn on Sunday with the Banjara Hills police station in Hyderabad registering a cheating case against the Pakistan cricketer.

Police said the case was registered on a complaint by Ahmad Siddiqui that Shoaib had cheated his daughter Ayesha Siddiqui alias Maha Siddiqui.

In his complaint Siddiqui said Shoaib had married his daughter on June 3 2002 over telephone from Pakistan but later deserted her. He enclosed a copy of the Nikahnama (marriage certificate) issued by the authorities in Pakistan.

Siddiqui, who was earlier based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, alleged that Shoaib is now threatening him.

The Siddiquis lodged the complaint soon after Shoaib admitted, in a written statement, that he had married a girl Ayesha over phone but she was different from the Ayesha Siddiqui who is now claiming to be his wife. He made a counter allegation that Ayesha had cheated him by sending him photos of another girl who was already married.

Shoaib is due to marry Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza on April 15.