HYDERABAD: Shoaib Malik on Wednesday saved himself from a legal mess and also perhaps from a jail term, by agreeing to the Siddiquis’ demand to divorce Ayesha or Maha Siddiqui whom, they alleged, the former Pakistan skipper had married.

Shoaib went to a qazi’s office and signed divorce papers, an admission of the fact that he not only knew Ayesha but had wedded her.

The ‘talaqnama’ that finally ended the public spat between Shoaib and the Siddiquis was prepared by Azmatullah Jafri, deputy qazi, Qila Mohammad Nagar, and signed by two sets of witnesses. From the Malik side, apart from community elder Maj GSM Quadri, Sania Mirza’s uncle Mohd Shafi Usman signed as witness to the divorce. Maha’s father and cousin also signed the papers.

The qazi had sought an affidavit stating that Shoaib would give Rs 15,000 as settlement amount to Maha, at Rs 5,000 a month. The process was completed by senior deputy qazi Mohd Aidil and a copy of the divorce certificate given to each side.

“The divorce has been settled and done,” Quadri told a press conference, adding the police case against Shoaib would be withdrawn. An application has already been filed for withdrawal of the FIR filed on Saturday.

Malik signed on the documents after a group of mediators convinced him that he faced arrest and a jail term. ‘‘Your passport and cell phone have been seized… the police has enough evidence to charge you. Once that happens, forget marriage, it will be a long time before you are able to leave Hyderabad and India,’’ one of the mediators reportedly told him.

Sources suggest that Malik was unwilling to budge until late Tuesday night, insisting he did not know Ayesha. He came around on Wednesday morning after he was convinced that things could take an ugly turn, with the local police indicating that evidence provided by the Siddiquis was ‘‘good enough’’ for them to take the next step. Besides, two of the offences he was booked for were cognizable and non-bailable.

Cops had also matched the immigration stamps on the passport with the dates of video footage provided by the Siddiquis.

Worse, Shoaib’s flip-flop on whether or not he had signed the nikahnama was working against him. Police officers said proving his claim of a forged signature would have required forensic tests. Sources said finally, Shoaib was made to understand that the onus was on him to prove he was not guilty. ‘‘He understood that proving his innocence would be next to impossible and he may just end up in deeper trouble,’’ an official said.