By S A Ishaqui
Hyderabad, April 19 : The AP High Court, on Monday, directed the 13th additional chief metropolitan magistrate, Nampally, Hyderabad to immediately release and return the passport to Mr Shoaib Malik, Pakistan circketer pending closure of the case registered by the city police.
Justice C. V. Nagarjuna Reddy passed orders after either by Advocate - General Mr D V Seetharama Murthy or senior counsel Mr T Bal Reddy appeared on behalf of Ms Ayesha
Siddique, divorced wife of Mr Malik, did not oppose the return of the passport.
Mr Seetharama Murthy told the court that Hyderabad Central Crime Station authorities filed a final report before the magistrate as Ms Siddique submitted an application to withdraw her case against Mr Malik.
Mr C. Padmanabha Reddy, senior counsel, appeared for Mr Malik submitted that the closure of the case in pursuance of the final report by the magistrate will take time and the petitioner is required to leave for Pakistan in connection with post-marriage ceremonies.
He urged the court to direct the magistrate to release the passport and Mr Javed Razak , counsel appearing for Mr Malik at lower court may be handed over the passport.
The judge while directing the lower court handed over Mr Malik's passport to Mr Razak and disposed of the petition.
However ,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 on Tuesday on along with an order copy of the AP 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 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.
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