NEW DELHI: The seriousness of a Bandra courtroom gave way to chaos on Sunday as two lawyers scrambled to represent the man accused of stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan. The scene unfolded during the remand proceedings of Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, a 30-year-old Bangladeshi national arrested for the attack. The magistrate, caught in the middle of the unexpected tussle, was forced to mediate, ultimately suggesting that the competing advocates represent the accused as a team, news agency PTI reported.
Shehzad has been accused of sneaking into Khan’s upscale Bandra residence in the early hours of January 16. According to police, he climbed to the 12th floor of the Satguru Sharan building using a pipe and entered the actor’s apartment through a bathroom window.
Once inside, he was confronted by domestic staff, leading to a scuffle during which Khan was allegedly stabbed multiple times. The 54-year-old actor sustained injuries near his neck and spine and was rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery. Khan is said to be in stable condition and recovering well.
The clash unfolded moments before the accused could sign the legal document (vakalatnama) authorising representation, causing confusion. Another lawyer pushed his way to the accused’s box and secured Shehzad’s signature on his own vakalatnama, leading to a brief moment of confusion over who would represent the alleged attacker.
The accused was arrested after a three-day manhunt. Police tracked him to a labour camp in Thane using CCTV footage and inputs from a labour contractor. Authorities allege that Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national who entered India illegally six months ago, had assumed the alias Vijay Das.
While initial investigations suggest theft as the motive, police have not ruled out the possibility of an international conspiracy. Shehzad was remanded to police custody for five days to allow further interrogation.
Outside the court, Sherkhane, the lawyer representing the accused denied allegations of Shehzad’s Bangladeshi origin, saying, “The police have no evidence to prove my client is from Bangladesh. He has been living in Mumbai for over seven years with his family. The claim that he entered six months ago is baseless.”
The lawyers also criticised procedural lapses in the investigation. “The remand copy lacks any mention of an intent to murder, yet serious charges have been levelled against him. No proper investigation has been conducted,” Sherkhane added. Prajapati echoed these concerns, arguing that no substantial recovery had been made, and no documentation supported claims of Shehzad’s foreign origin.
