Saif Ali Khan attack: Accused remanded into 5-day police custody

Mumbai: A local court on Sunday remanded a Bangladeshi national Mohammad Shariful Islam Shahzad accused of stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence into Police custody for five days till Jan 24.

Police have sought 14 days custody of the accused for further investigation but the Court granted custody for five days till Jan 24.

Earlier the accused was produced before the local Bandra holiday court under heavy police protection at 130 PM. The Court granted police custody after the police moved a remand application.

However, the accused’s lawyer refuted the Police claims, asserting that his client is not a Bangladeshi national and he 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, his lawyer said.

Accused Shezad is booked under sections 311 (robbery or dacoity with the intent to cause grievous hurt or death, 331(4) (house-breaking), and other relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita and Passport Act, 1967.

Meanwhile, officers of the Bandra police and Mumbai crime branch grilled the accused at the Khar police station where the accused had reportedly confessed to the crime.

During the probe, the accused had repeatedly said “Ha maine hi kiya (Yes, I did it).” A police officer who is part of the team probing the matter said adding that Shahzad was unaware that he had entered actor Khan’s residence to steal.

Shezad told police that he saw his images on TV news after the incident and fled to Thane. He switched off his phone and hid near a labour camp in Thane. Police tracked down his phone's last known location, reached Thane, and arrested him.

Shahzad, a 30-year-old man of Bangladeshi origin, was arrested by Mumbai Police on Saturday, almost 70 hours after the stabbing of Khan.

Shahzad, who had changed his name to Vijay Das upon entering India, had been living in Mumbai for the last six months. His alleged motive behind the crime, according to authorities, was robbery.

After crossing into the country “illegally”, Shahzad settled in Mumbai and found work at a bar in Thane, a satellite city on the outskirts of Mumbai. However, he left his job just a week before the attack, hoping to find a better job. According to the police, Shahzad also did not have any valid Indian identification documents.

The accused has told police that he used the rear staircase and air-conditioning ducts to get inside the building. He also said it was the first time he had entered the building. Police have said they may recreate the scene with the accused.