NEW DELHI: A 30-year-old man accused of stabbing Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan was arrested by Mumbai Police in Thane on Sunday. The accused, identified as Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir, a Bangladeshi national, reportedly slept soundly after the attack and later changed his clothes before travelling to different locations, a police official said on Monday.
The attack took place in the wee hours of January 16 when the accused broke into Khan’s residence in the Satguru Sharan building in Bandra with the intent to commit theft. Khan, 54, sustained multiple stab wounds and underwent a five-hour surgery at Lilavati Hospital.
After the stabbing attack, Shehzad is said to have slept at a bus stop, changed his clothes, and moved from Bandra to Dadar, then Worli, before eventually travelling to Thane. The police official stated that Shehzad took various precautions to evade arrest but was ultimately traced due to his distinctive backpack, captured on CCTV footage.
Using the backpack as a lead, the police reviewed extensive CCTV footage and analyzed drum data and online payment records to track the accused. Despite initial dead ends, Shehzad was spotted in footage walking toward Bandra railway station around 7am after changing his clothes.
Further investigation disclosed that Shehzad, who had previously worked at a pub in Worli, had stayed on the premises on the night of the attack before seeking work from a labour contractor the following day.
The contractor provided Shehzad’s mobile number to the police, who discovered that he had made online transactions while on the run.
Shehzad has been remanded in police custody for five days, with the court noting that the possibility of an international conspiracy cannot be ruled out.
The accused has been charged under sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 311 (robbery or dacoity with intent to cause grievous hurt or death) and Section 331(4) (house-breaking), along with provisions of the Passport Act.
