NEW DELHI: The simple case of ‘burglary gone wrong’ at actor Saif Ali Khan‘s residence in which he was injured continues to raise questions with the arrest of a Bangladeshi national and medical report from the hospital.
The actor, who was discharged three days ago after undergoing surgery at Lilavati Hospital, gave his statement to the police. Meanwhile, opposition leaders in Maharashtra have jumped in, raising questions regarding the attack and the arrest. The father of the accused has also termed it a “false” arrest.
Here’s a look at the latest in the Saif Ali Khan stabbing case and why it remains a mystery even after 9 days of the attack:
Saif Ali Khan’s ‘violent confrontation’ with intruder
On Thursday, Bandra police took Saif’s statement regarding the violent encounter with an intruder at his 11th-floor residence in Satguru Sharan. The actor said, “My grip loosened after the stranger stabbed me repeatedly on my back with a knife after I overpowered him.”
According to Saif, his household members and staff were terrified when they spotted the armed trespasser. He immediately moved to confront the intruder to safeguard his younger son Jehangir and the staff. In his statement, Saif mentioned that he and Kareena were in their bedroom, and Taimur was in another room with a nurse. Their younger son Jehangir was in a different bedroom with staff nurse Eliyamma Phillip and a domestic helper when Phillip spotted the intruder.
Injuries on back, wrist, elbow – Medical report gives details
A medical report from Lilavati Hospital disclosed details of the injuries Saif sustained during the break-in on January 16. The actor suffered five distinct wounds on his back, wrist, neck, shoulder, and elbow.
The report highlighted:
- A 0.5 to 1 cm injury on the left side of his back.
- A 5 to 10 cm wound on his left wrist.
- A 10 to 15 cm injury on the right side of his neck.
- A 3 to 5 cm wound on his right shoulder.
- The most severe injury, a 5 cm gash, was located on his right elbow.
But who took Saif to the hospital?
The question raised on the day of the attack remains a mystery as different versions come up. Initially, it was reported that there were no drivers available at that hour at Saif’s residence and no car was ready. He was taken to the hospital by his younger son Ibrahim in an auto.
The auto driver who transported Saif to Lilavati Hospital, approximately 2 km from the actor’s residence at Satguru Sharan building in Bandra, mentioned that the actor was with a “small child”, presumably his seven-year-old son Taimur, along with another individual.
The driver, who works night shifts in the Bandra-Khar area, said he spotted one of the actor’s domestic help waving at him near Satguru Sharan. “It was a scene of panic. The actor sat inside, his son in the middle and (Hari) on the side before we left for the hospital,” he recalled, describing how a blood-soaked Khan struggled to walk. Upon reaching the hospital, the staff immediately attended to him and took him on a stretcher.
The neurosurgeon who operated on Saif also said that the actor arrived at the hospital in an auto with his seven-year-old son, Taimur Ali Khan, and a caretaker. “I was the first one to meet Saif Ali Khan when he came to the hospital. He was drenched in blood, but he walked in like a lion with his small child, Taimur. Saif Ali Khan is a real hero,” the doctor had said.
However, the medical report sent to Bandra Police indicated that Saif was probably taken to the hospital by Afsar Zaidi, his manager and close associate who operates a celebrity management firm.
According to the report, Zaidi accompanied Saif to the hospital on January 16 with the admission process completed at 4.11 am.
The medical documentation from Lilavati Hospital submitted to the police listed Zaidi’s name in the section designated for friends.
Delay in taking Saif to hospital?
The medical form has also led to many questioning an alleged ‘delay’ in Saif reaching the hospital. According to the medical report, the time of the attack was 2.30 am. The actor was, however, admitted to the hospital at 4.11 am.
Saif Ali Khan‘s home is just 2.3 km (10-15 minutes) away from the hospital.
Father of accused claims false arrest
Md Ruhul Amin, father of accused Shariful Islam Sajjad, asserted his son’s innocence and appealed to Indian authorities for his immediate release and claimed the photo in the CCTV released by police did not match his son.
Shariful Islam hails from Rajabaria village in Jhalakathi, a southern Bangladeshi district located over 200 km away from Dhaka.
“I have come to know through various YouTube channels and journalists via telephone that my 30-year-old son Shariful Islam Sajjad has been arrested in India for assaulting actor Saif Ali Khan,” Md Ruhul Amin told ANI.
“My son was arrested on suspicion because of his resemblance to the person involved in the attacks. My son is innocent,” he added.
Md Ruhul Amin expressed his intention to seek assistance from the Bangladesh government through diplomatic channels.
“I will go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh after 3 or 4 days and request the Bangladesh government to take diplomatic initiative to free my son,” he said.
Congress leader joins ‘not the same person’ chorus
A day after Maharashtra cabinet minister and BJP leader Nitesh Rane stirred controversy as he questioned if Saif was assaulted or if the attack was staged, Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole said the arrested person and the one in the CCTV footage were not the same.
“The attack on Saif Ali Khan, it has been stated that the person shown in the CCTV footage and the person who has been arrested are different. I have also seen the photos and they are not the same. The police need to clarify this immediately,” he said.
Cops yet to do facial analysis test
The police said forensic analysis confirmed that Fakir was linked to the crime. Fingerprints found at multiple locations inside the actor’s flat match those of Fakir.
The police, however, while seeking an extension of his custody, told the court that it is yet to conduct a facial recognition test to ascertain if he was the same as the person seen on CCTV footage.
The police also need to match the suspect’s footprints to those found at the crime scene and recover the shoes Fakir wore during the attack and the missing portion of the knife used.