70 hours, multiple teams, one lead: How Mumbai Police nabbed Saif Ali Khan's Bangladeshi stabber

Mumbai: In a breakthrough after a 70-hour-long manhunt, Mumbai police successfully tracked down the attacker who stabbed Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra residence. The breakthrough came with the help of a local labour contractor, who provided vital information leading to the arrest of the accused.

Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir (30), a Bangladeshi national, was arrested on Sunday in connection with the brutal attack that occurred in the early hours of Thursday. The crime branch and local authorities had formed several teams to track down the attacker, who had managed to elude them for more than two days.

Key clue from labour contractor

The police investigation revealed that Fakir had been spotted outside Dadar railway station three times and had also visited Worli Koliwada. After going through hundreds of CCTV footage, the police found out that the attacker had visited a local labour contractor in the area. This crucial lead helped the authorities trace the suspect to a labour camp located in a forested area in Thane, where he was apprehended.

A police official revealed that the attacker had previously worked at a Thane-based hotel. Despite this, no criminal record had been found in his name. The police are still investigating the full extent of Fakir's involvement in the attack.

Suspect identified as Bangladeshi national

During the investigation, it was revealed that Fakir had entered India illegally. The police discovered that he did not possess any Indian documents, and after seizing his birth certificate, it was confirmed that he was a Bangladeshi national.

Authorities also believe that the attacker had visited the Khan residence earlier to work, which suggests that the break-in was planned as a robbery. Fakir allegedly stabbed Saif Ali Khan repeatedly during the break-in at his 12th-floor apartment in the Satguru Sharan building.

Court orders police custody

A Mumbai court on Sunday remanded the man arrested in the Saif Ali Khan attack case in police custody until January 24. The court observed that the police's contention of an international conspiracy could not be ruled out.

The police informed the court that the alleged attacker was a Bangladeshi national and there was a need to determine the motive behind his actions. They also suggested that the possibility of an international conspiracy linked to the case should be explored. After reviewing the case and perusing relevant documents, the court agreed with the police's submission, acknowledging that the possibility of an international conspiracy "cannot be said to be impossible."

Earlier in the day, the police had informed the media that Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, who had illegally entered India and changed his name to Vijay Das, was apprehended from adjoining Thane city. As per preliminary investigations, Fakir had entered the Bollywood star’s home in the Satguru Sharan building in Bandra with the intention of committing theft. However, the situation escalated, resulting in the violent attack on Saif Ali Khan.

Saif Ali Khan recovering after surgery

Saif Ali Khan was immediately rushed to Lilavati Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery after being repeatedly stabbed in a violent confrontation with the intruder. The attack occurred around 2:30 a.m. when Fakir allegedly entered the apartment, attacked the house staff, and then confronted Saif, who tried to intervene. 

Doctors have confirmed that Saif Ali Khan is recovering well and is expected to be discharged from the hospital soon. Saif suffered several stab wounds, two of which were close to his spine, his condition is said to be stable after the surgery.