Hyderabad, April 20: A local court Tuesday returned Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik’s passport, clearing the way for his return to his home country along with his bride and Indian tennis star Sania Mirza.
Thirteenth additional chief metropolitan magistrate handed over Malik’s passport to his counsel Javed Razak after closing the case filed against him by his first wife Ayesha Siddiqui.
The passport was seized by police while inquiring into Ayesha’s complaint.
Justice C.V. Nagarjuna of the Andhra Pradesh High Court Monday directed the lower court to release Malik’s passport.
The cricketer approached the high court as the closure of the case and related legal formalities were delaying his return to Pakistan for post-wedding ceremonies.
Malik, who married Sania April 12, had last week filed the petition as his passport remained with the lower court despite Ayesha withdrawing her complaint after he divorced her.
The delay in getting back his passport forced Malik to postpone a ceremony, which was originally planned in Lahore April 22. The ceremony is now scheduled for April 27.
On Tuesday, while returning Malik’s passport, the lower court also closed the case against him after Central Crime Station (CCS) of Hyderabad Police filed a final report on the basis of Ayesha’s application withdrawing the matter.
Malik’s passport was seized by police on April 5 after questioning him over Ayesha’s complaint. It was later deposited in court.
The former Pakistani skipper has been staying at Sania Mirza’s house ever since he landed here April 2.
Shoaib divorced Ayesha April 7, three days after she lodged a complaint with police for denying their marriage, which took place over phone in 2002.
–IANS