Will stay in India for as long as it takes to clear my name: Shoaib

Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Malik, whose passport was taken away by the Hyderabad police, today said he will not leave India till he clears his name and that he was being emotionally blackmailed by Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims to have married him eight years ago.

Appearing before reporters and camera crews with Sania Mirza, whom he is going to marry on April 15, by his side, Malik said he had done nothing wrong and asked why Ayesha was not appearing in public to make her allegations.

Both he and Sania said they were from respectable families with the tennis star adding that "to see my future husband like this [answering questions about marriage] is painful for both the families".

Malik was questioned at Sania's house this morning by a team of police officers who took his passport and alerted immigration authorities after asking him not to leave India.

"I'm here for the marriage and to clear my name. I'm not leaving the country. Inshallah, I'll clear my name," Malik said.

"I have no objections [to police taking the passport] and I'm cooperating with the police and [the] Indian government," the former Pakistan captain said. "I have got respect for the authorities and I will do everything to clear my name. I'm ready to face any type of questions. I'll get my passport in the evening."

Police did not disclose much about their investigation in the case registered on the basis of a complaint filed by Ayesha's father MA Siddiqui. An officer said Malik told them during questioning that he was tricked into the marriage.

Asked about the allegations by Ayesha Siddiqui, who claims she was pregnant through Malik, he said, "I just want to ask something. I don't know her. Exactly why is she making these allegations behind the camera? Where is she? Ten years back I was 18 years old. Find out her age."

Malik said Ayesha has to first prove the marriage in a court of law. He insisted that the nikahnama she had been brandishing before a section of the media was invalid. Better leave the issue to the courts, he suggested to the reporters.

Sania interjected to say, "We are all from very respectable families. These are questions people [don't] face before getting married. That is not what we want. We want to clear his name and as an Indian, it's my responsibility and our responsibility to let the police investigate."

Sania also questioned the nikahnama, saying "If there was no nikah, it cannot be proved. If the court proves [that Malik was married], then he will do whatever is required. If it is not proved by them, then we know, our families know, what to do."

Sania also asked the media to leave the issue to the courts, saying it was not right to discuss it in public.

"Of course I'm upset [to face questions], but we are happy that we are together and we are happy that we are getting married," she said.

Malik ridiculed the Siddiqui family's demand to divorce their daughter, saying, "I know only Maha apa [elder sister]. Please, for God's sake, how can they ask me to divorce her?"

Asked if they had offer money to the Siddiquis to sort out the issue, Malik shot back: "Why one million, say one billion."

Sania said they were not going for any out-of-court settlement. Maintaining that calling anyone names was not good, she said the chief qazi of Hyderabad had already held that there can be no telephone nikah.

Again, when asked whether he had stayed with Ayesha in hotels, Malik said he was still in the dark about who Ayesha was. "I have met only 'apa', which means elder sister."

He said his family would definitely be coming to India for the marriage.

"I want to respect all," the cricketer said. "I'm not like them. Till [the alleged marriage] is proved, I cannot be touched by anybody."

Asked what his plans were, he said he was waiting for the report of the investigators. "They are investigating it and I'm sure they would not find anything because I did nothing. Once that news comes, then I'll decide what to do," he said.

Malik said he spoke to Pakistan's high commissioner for India, who said he had the government's backing.

Earlier in the day, Dr Shams Babar, a relative of the Siddiquis, addressed a press conference outside their residence in Banjara Hills, claiming that Ayesha had had a miscarriage and that information on it was part of "several proofs" that were handed over to the police to "nail" Shoaib Malik.

He said even now what they were demanding was only an apology and divorce from Malik and not any monetary compensation. "He should acknowledge the marriage with Ayesha and now give her divorce," Babar said. "If he does so, we are prepared to drop the charges against Shoaib.

"We do not want any monetary damages or help from Shoaib. If the things are set right, we have no objection to the proposed marriage of Shoaib and Sania Mirza. It’s [an issue] only between the Siddiquis and Shoaib Malik."

The Pakistani cricketer had yesterday claimed that he was emotionally forced into the nikahnama with the Hyderabadi woman but said that since the marriage was invalid as her family had cheated him, there was no question of a divorce.