Saif attack case: Suspected Bangladeshi national arrested from Thane

Saif was stabbed multiple times by the attacker during the robbery attempt at his 12th floor residence in 'Satguru Sharan' building in upscale Bandra.

Mumbai: After two days of manhunt, police have arrested a suspected Bangladeshi national for the murderous attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan from the Kasarvadavali area of Thane city in the wee hours of Sunday. 

The accused has been identified as  Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammed Rohilla Amin Fakir (30).

“The motive behind the crime, based on primary investigations, is robbery,” said Deputy Commissioner of Police Dixit Gedam. 

“He does not have valid Indian documents. There are some seizures which indicate that he is a Bangladeshi national,” he said, adding that the accused had illegally entered India and assumed the false identity of Vijay Das. 

“He has entered four to five months ago. He stayed in the vicinity of Mumbai. He was working in a housekeeping agency,” the police officer said, adding that it was only 15 days ago that Irshad came to Mumbai. 

On the other hand, doctors have expressed satisfaction over the recovery of Khan (54), who is recuperating in the Lilavati Hospital & Research Centre at Bandra area of Mumbai. 

Past midnight on Thursday, Khan was attacked inside his flat in the Satguru Sharan apartments, the 12-storey building in the posh Bandra locality that houses the actor's four-floor residence. 

Over the past two days, two suspects were questioned - one in Mumbai and another in Durg in Chhattisgarh, however, their role could not be established. 

The accused was caught from the Hiranandani Estate in Kasarvadavali, where he was hiding. 

Asked why he targeted the home of Khan, Gedam said: “We have just been arrested. Things are under investigation.”

Asked whether he had other accomplices, he said: “All these are under investigations.”