The matrimonial alliance of Indian tennis ace Sania Mirza and banned Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Malik seems to be heading for legal trouble.
Just when the families of the two sports personalities are getting down to making arrangements for the April 15 marriage, the family of Ayesha Siddiqui, allegedly Shoiab's first wife, in Hyderabad, has threatened to legal action.
Ayesha's father Ahmad, a Saudi Arabia-based businessman told the media in Hyderabad that he is unable to understand how Sania's family agreed to the proposal when Shoaib had cheated another girl from Hyderabad.
"Does he deserve a girl like Sania?" he asked, adding that even if the marriage takes place, Sania will be Shoaib's second wife, as he had already married his daughter Ayesha.
Siddique said Sania is like his daughter.
"Sania's parents are our good friends, but I have not talked to them about this issue. They are well-educated people and they should think about it. Whey should I give them advise?" he said, in reply to a question.
He said he and his family had gone through hell ever since Shoaib allegedly cheated his daughter.
"How can anybody tolerate this? Can you tolerate?" he asked.
He said he wants nothing from Shoaib but divorce papers. "Because without Shoaib divorcing her, my daughter cannot marry again under Islamic law."
Siddiqui said if Shoaib does not meet his demand, he will file a suit against him.
"I am consulting the top-most lawyers to take legal action."
On Shoaib's denial that he did not marry Ayesha, Siddiqui said he has a recording of the India-Pakistan match in Hyderabad, in 2005, during which Shoaib declared on television that Hyderabad is the hometown of his wife Ayesha Siddiqui, adding, "when the commentator, Arun Lal, congratulated him, Shoaib acknowledged that Ayesha was his wife".
It may be recalled that when Shoiab came to Hyderabad along with the Pakistan team, he and some team members visited the Siddiqui family in Banjara Hills and attended a reception.
The Siddiquis say that after meeting Ayesha in Dubai, he married her over telephone from Pakistan.
Asked about the controversy, Sania declared that both she and Shoaib believe in living in the present.