Shirdi: Amid allegations of “collapsing” law and order, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Sunday refuted the claims made by the opposition following the attack on actor Saif Ali Khan.
He said that the accused had migrated from Bangladesh and wasn’t aware that it was the residence of a film star.
Pawar, who is also the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief, said that the accused had entered the residence of Saif Ali Khan with the intention to commit robbery.
“Some opposition leaders have given the statement that law & order collapsed in Mumbai after the incident of attack on actor Saif Ali Khan. But the reality is the accused migrated from Bangladesh. First, he came to Kolkata & then he had heard a lot about Mumbai so he came to Mumbai. He is a thief who entered from the duct to Saif Ali Khan’s residence. He was not aware that this was the house of some film star. He just entered the house with the intention of the robbery,” Maharashtra Deputy CM Pawar said.
The Mumbai Police on Sunday morning confirmed that the person arrested for allegedly attacking actor Saif Ali Khan is an illegal immigrant from Bangladesh. The accused, identified as Mohd Shariful Islam Shehzad, entered the residence of the renowned actor with the intent to commit theft.
As per the police statement, various investigation teams were formed to investigate the crime, and a case has been registered under sections 311, 312, 331(4), 331(6), and 331(7) of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS).
Further, according to the police, the accused was about to flee to his native village when he was detained at Hiranandani Estate in Thane. It was revealed that the accused is a native of the Jhalokati district in Bangladesh.
The case was reported by Aleyamma Philip, a 56-year-old staff nurse. The incident occurred around 2:00 AM on January 16, during which Saif Ali Khan was attacked and sustained serious injuries, including stab wounds to his thoracic spine.
During a press conference earlier today, the Mumbai Police stated that there was preliminary evidence suggesting the accused is a Bangladeshi national. “He does not have valid Indian documents. Some items seized indicate that he is a Bangladeshi national,” said Dixit Gedam, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Zone 9.
“Prima facie the accused is a Bangladeshi and after entering India illegally he changed his name. Currently, he is using Vijay Das as his name. He came to Mumbai five to six months ago. The accused was using multiple aliases. He stayed in Mumbai for a few days and then in the vicinity of Mumbai. He used to work in a Housekeeping agency,” the DCP said.
This development comes after Khan was stabbed multiple times in his Bandra apartment in the early hours of Thursday.
The actor was immediately taken to Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital, where he received treatment for serious injuries, including stab wounds to his thoracic spine.
According to the hospital administration, Saif Ali Khan is recovering 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. While the actor is now “out of danger,” medical staff are closely monitoring his condition.
