Mumbai Police apprehended a man, identified as Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, who stabbed actor Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra residence on 16 January. The arrest was made early on Sunday in Maharashtra’s Thane district. According to the police, Alian confessed to the crime after being held.
Police further stated that the accused is of Bangladeshi origin, citing the absence of valid Indian documents and evidence recovered during the investigation.
Preliminary investigation suggests that the man was unaware that he had entered a Bollywood star's house and his intention was theft, a senior police official told mediapersons.
The official said the man had changed his name, Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, to Bijoy Das after entering India.
He said the accused, who hails from Jhalokati in Bangladesh, had been living in Mumbai for more than five months, doing petty jobs and was attached to a housekeeping agency.
The police have registered a case against the accused under sections 311 (robbery or dacoity with the intent to cause grievous hurt or death, 331(4) (house-breaking) and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and Passport Act, 1967, the official said.
Police are trying to collect the documents the accused used to enter India illegally.
Addressing the press, DCP Zone 9 Dixit Gedam said, "On January 16, at 2 am, actor Saif Ali Khan was attacked at his residence. An FIR was registered, and one accused has been arrested. His name is Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, aged 30. He entered the house with the intention of robbery. He will be produced in court, and custody will be sought. Further investigation will follow. We suspect he is of Bangladeshi origin."
Providing additional details, Gedam said, "There is primary evidence to anticipate that the accused is a Bangladeshi. He does not possess valid Indian documents, and some of the seizures made during the investigation suggest he is a Bangladeshi national."
The accused is set to be presented before the court as the investigation into the shocking attack on the Bollywood star continues.
Breakthrough in the case
Police officials arrested Alian near a metro construction site at Hiranandani Estate. The accused, a pub worker, had been evading authorities by frequently changing locations.
Mumbai Police, aided by surveillance footage and strategic leads, tracked him to a labour camp in Thane.
Officers revealed that Alian had been working at various sites in Mumbai and Thane for seven to eight months.
Posters displaying CCTV footage of the suspect were circulated in Mumbai and neighbouring regions, leading to significant public cooperation.
A clip showing the accused descending the stairs of Saif Ali Khan’s home had been instrumental in his identification.
The suspect was apprehended after an earlier lead in Chhattisgarh’s Durg district. A suspect detained there was later found to be unconnected to this case.
Authorities disclosed that the attacker had multiple aliases, including Bijoy Das, Vijay Das, and BJ.
According to the police, the accused had been working under assumed identities.
Attack and aftermath
The intruder entered Saif Ali Khan’s residence during an alleged burglary attempt and was discovered in the room of the actor’s younger son, Jehangir.
House staff raised an alarm, prompting Saif Ali Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan to intervene. Saif confronted the attacker, sustaining injuries in the ensuing scuffle.
Kareena Kapoor Khan, in her statement to police, said, “The intruder got aggressive during the scuffle but did not touch jewellery kept in the open.”
Police believe the accused monitored news channels closely and switched off his phone to avoid detection after the incident. He was brought to Bandra for further questioning and will be produced in court to seek police remand.
Saif’s recovery
The 54-year-old actor suffered multiple stab injuries, including on his neck and near the spine, during the attack at his home. He was rushed to Lilavati Hospital in an autorickshaw for emergency surgery and is currently recovering well.
Doctors treating Saif Ali Khan have reported satisfactory progress.
Neurosurgeon Dr Nitin Dange stated, “We are observing his progress, and he is doing well according to our expectations. If comfortable, we will discharge him in two to three days.”
The actor has been shifted from the ICU to the general ward and is on a normal diet.
Mumbai Police’s dedicated teams worked tirelessly to track the assailant, scrutinising footage from multiple locations, including Dadar railway station. The arrest marks a significant development in the high-profile case.
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