Saif Ali Khan attack case: Cops cite international conspiracy angle

Mumbai: A Mumbai court on Sunday remanded a man arrested in the Saif Ali Khan attack case in 5-day police custody after observing that the prosecution's contention of an international conspiracy cannot be ruled out.

Police produced the accused Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad (30) before a metropolitan magistrate court in Bandra at 1:30 pm.

Police told court that the alleged attacker was a Bangladeshi national residing illegally in India and there was need to find the motive behind his act. Police also told court they needed to find out if there was an international conspiracy linked to the case.

However, defence lawyer Sandeep D Sherkhane contended his client was residing in the country for several years and has vital documents (for staying in the country) and that his family is also residing in India.

The case has been hyped because of the presence of actor Saif Ali Khan, the defence lawyer further submitted.

The police, however, sought 14-day custody stating the case was not just about a celebrity but that it involved a brutal attack.

The police also told court the investigation is at a primary stage.

Khan sustained grievous injuries in the attack, including a part of the knife blade getting embedded in his body, the investigating officer told court.

The knife broke into three parts, two of which have been found, while the third needs to be recovered from the accused, police told court.

The clothes the accused had worn at the time of the incident will have blood stains and it needs to be seized as part of the probe, police submitted.

A probe was required to find out how he entered the actor's house and the motive behind the attack, the IO said.

However, the defence lawyer said Shehzad should be remanded in judicial custody.

Accepting the police's contention after perusing documents on record, the court said the prosecution's submission of international conspiracy "cannot be said to be impossible".

"I find the allegations against the accused are well-founded. Therefore, the police need to be provided with sufficient time to investigate the case. Five-day police custody is justified," the court said.

The court also dismissed the defence's claim that the arrest was illegal and asserted the police had followed all required norms while apprehending the accused.

Earlier in the day, police had told the media that the alleged attacker was 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 five-hour surgery in nearby Lilavati Hospital.