Saif Ali Khan stabbing: Accused slept at Bandra bus stop after incident, cops find suspicious items in bag

The man arrested on Sunday in connection with the January 16 attack on Saif Ali Khan was in Bandra, where the actor lives, until 7 am on the day of the incident and reportedly slept at a bus stop, according to a police official.

Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national who had illegally entered India and adopted the name Bijoy Das, was apprehended earlier that day in the nearby Thane city.

Authorities stated that Shehzad had entered the Bollywood actor's residence, located in the upscale Satguru Sharan building in Bandra, during the early hours of January 16 with the intent to steal.

"He slept at a bus stop near Patwardhan Garden in Bandra West till 7am on January 16 after the incident. Later he boarded a train and reached Worli (in central Mumbai)," the official said.

"Our probe has found that he took the stairs till the seventh-eighth floor, then entered the duct area, climbed to the 12th floor using a pipe, broke into the actor's flat through a bathroom window. He then came out from the bathroom, where he was seen by the actor's staff, which led to the chain of events that resulted in the attack," the official added.

The official stated that the accused began arguing with a nanny in the house and demanded Rs 1 crore. Hearing the commotion, Saif Ali Khan arrived on the scene and apprehended him right at the front.

"The accused was startled and stabbed Khan in the back. Khan later locked the flat believing the accused was pinned inside. However, the accused managed to flee from the same area from where he had entered. We have recovered a hammer, screwdriver, nylon rope and other materials from his bag," the official said.

The police suspect that the accused may have a criminal background due to certain items found, according to an official.

The accused, Shehzad, reportedly only realized that he had attacked a Bollywood star after seeing the incident covered on television and social media, the official added.

Another official claimed that Shehzad was able to escape because a detection officer from the Bandra police station had taken the CCTV digital video recorder (DVR) from Khan's building, which was not shared with the Mumbai Crime Branch.

Earlier, the police revealed that Shehzad is from Jhalokathi, also known as Jhalakathi, in Bangladesh's Barisal division. He had been in Mumbai for the past five months, during which he worked in various low-paying jobs, including with a housekeeping agency.

He has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 311 (robbery or dacoity with the intent to cause grievous harm or death), Section 331(4) (housebreaking), along with other offences and violations of the Passport Act, the official stated.

A thorough investigation is now underway to determine how he managed to enter India illegally, what documents he possesses, and how he obtained them.

The accused was remanded to five days of police custody after being presented in Bandra court this afternoon.

The court acknowledged the police's argument that an international conspiracy could be involved in the case.

Police informed the court that the alleged attacker was a Bangladeshi national and emphasized the need to uncover the motive behind his actions. They also mentioned the possibility of an international conspiracy tied to the incident.

After reviewing the case documents, the court agreed with the police’s submission, stating that the notion of an international conspiracy "cannot be said to be impossible."

During the remand hearing, defense lawyer Sandeep D Sherkhane argued that his client had been residing in the country for several years, possessed necessary documents to stay in India, and had family members living in the country as well.

Saif Ali Khan, a prominent Bollywood actor, was brutally stabbed multiple times by an intruder inside his 12th-floor apartment in the 'Satguru Sharan' building in the upscale Bandra area during the early hours of January 16.