A facial recognition test has confirmed that the individual arrested for allegedly stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan is indeed the same person seen in the CCTV footage from his residence, according to the police.
The accused, identified as Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir (30), was arrested for the January 16 attack. The police official stated that the test report confirmed the match between the person in the CCTV footage from Satguru Sharan building in Bandra and Shariful Islam Shehzad.
Earlier in January, Saif Ali Khan was attacked by an intruder, later identified as Mohd Shariful Islam Shehzad, who entered his home with the intention to commit theft.
After a violent confrontation, Saif sustained stab wounds to his thoracic spine and other parts of his body. He was quickly rushed to Lilavati Hospital for immediate treatment.
In the ongoing investigation into the attack on Saif, the Mumbai Police have claimed to have gathered significant evidence against the accused.
In a breakthrough, they revealed, "Arrested accused Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad's facial recognition tested positive. As per the test, the person in the CCTV footage and Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad are confirmed to be the same person."
The police also confirmed that the accused had entered India from Bangladesh and had been staying at various locations in Kolkata for several days before the incident.
Additionally, during a press conference, Paramjit Singh Dahiya, Additional Commissioner of Police, dismissed rumors that the fingerprints of the accused did not match.
He clarified, "Whenever an accusation is arrested, multiple pieces of evidence are collected against it. We have found much oral, physical, and technical evidence against the accused... We have caught the right person."
According to the police, the accused had entered Saif Ali Khan's residence with the intention of committing theft. A case has been registered under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS). The police also reported that the accused was planning to flee to his native village in Bangladesh when he was detained in Thane at the Hiranandani Estate.
However, the accused's advocate, Sandeep Shekhane, denied the police's claims, alleging that "no proper investigation" had been conducted. Shekhane stated, "A police custody for 5 days has been granted. The court has asked the police to submit a report within 5 days. The police have no proof that he is a Bangladeshi. They said that he came here 6 months ago, it is a wrong statement. He has been living here for more than 7 years. His family is in Mumbai... This is a clear-cut violation of 43A. No proper investigation has been done."
Saif Ali Khan, after undergoing surgery, was discharged from Lilavati Hospital on January 21. Upon returning to his Bandra residence, he waved to the media, signaling his recovery.