The Mumbai police on Sunday said the 30-year-old who stabbed Saif Ali Khan at the actor’s residence here had been arrested and is a Bangladeshi national.
Preliminary investigation suggested that the man was unaware that he had entered a Bollywood star’s house and his intention was theft The accused has confessed to committing the crime.
While addressing a press conference in Mumbai, DCP Zone 9 Dixit Gedam said, “There is primary evidence to anticipate that the accused is a Bangladeshi. He does not have valid Indian documents. There are some seizures that indicate that he is a Bangladeshi national.”
DCP Zone 9 said, “Prima facie the accused is a Bangladeshi and after entering India illegally he changed his name. He was using Vijay Das as his current name. He came to Mumbai 5-6 months ago. He stayed in Mumbai for a few days and then in the vicinity of Mumbai. The accused used to work in a housekeeping agency.”
“We have doubts that the accused is of Bangladeshi origin and that is why relevant sections of the Passport Act have been added to the case,” Mumbai Police added.
According to the Mumbai police, the accused worked as a waiter at a restaurant. Mumbai police also said that the accused was using multiple names including Vijay Das, Bijoy Das and Mohammed Iliyas and is currently lodged at Khar Police station.
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.
Saif Ali Khan was stabbed multiple times in his Bandra apartment on Thursday late night around 2:00 am. The actor was immediately taken to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital for treatment after sustaining major injuries, including stab wounds to his thoracic spine.
According to the hospital administration, Saif Ali Khan was doing well and has been moved from the ICU to a normal room. The surgery, which involved removing a 2.5-inch-long blade, was successful, and while Saif is currently “out of danger,” medical staff continue to monitor his condition closely.