A 30-year-old man held in the Saif Ali Khan attack case was on Sunday produced in a Mumbai court by police to seek his remand.
The Bandra Police have stated that the accused, who allegedly attacked Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan, is a Bangladeshi national. The police have sought 14 days of custody for further investigation.
However, the accused’s lawyer refuted these claims, asserting that his client is not a Bangladeshi national and possesses several documents to prove his identity. The lawyer termed the police’s allegations as false. He has been made a scapegoat and has no involvement in the case.
The police further claim that robbery does not appear to be the sole motive behind the incident and that further investigation is necessary. They added that the accused had been staying in Mumbai and was aware of the residences of other celebrities. However, the defense argued that knowing the locations of celebrity homes is common knowledge in Mumbai.
The court has granted five days for investigating the conspiracy in the Saif Ali Khan attack case. The court stated that an international conspiracy, as claimed by the public prosecutor, cannot be ruled out.
Earlier in the day, police identified the alleged attacker as Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national who had illegally entered India and changed his name to Bijoy Das. He was held from adjoining Thane city.
As per preliminary probe, he had entered the Bollywood star`s home, in Satguru Sharan building in Bandra, in the early hours of January 16 with the intention of theft, police had said.
Khan (54) was stabbed multiple times in the attack, after which he underwent a surgery in nearby Lilavati Hospital.
