Mumbai Police have arrested Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national who illegally entered India and assumed the identity of Bijoy Das. The arrest took place in Maharashtra’s Thane district following a high-profile incident involving an alleged attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan on January 16.
According to police, the accused managed to break into Khan’s apartment by climbing a pipe in the building’s shaft. Starting from the sixth floor, he scaled to the 12th floor and entered the actor’s flat through a bathroom window. Once inside, the intruder was reportedly spotted by Khan’s staff, leading to a confrontation in which Shehzad demanded ₹1 crore. When Khan entered the room, he was allegedly stabbed by the accused.
After the incident, Khan and his staff locked the intruder inside the flat. However, he managed to escape through the same shaft he used to enter. It was later discovered that the accused spent the night at a bus stop near Patwardhan Garden in Bandra West before travelling to Worli the following morning.
An investigation revealed that Shehzad was carrying suspicious items in his bag, including a hammer, screwdriver, nylon rope, and other materials. Police officials believe that the accused was unaware that he had entered Saif Ali Khan’s residence and only realized his actions involved a Bollywood star after seeing news reports on television.
The accused, who hails from Jhalokathi district in southern Bangladesh’s Barisal division, has been charged under various sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including 311 (robbery or dacoity with intent to cause grievous hurt or death) and 331(4) (house-breaking), as well as provisions under the Passport Act.
While police maintain that Shehzad is a Bangladeshi national, his lawyer has denied these claims, stating there is no evidence to support the allegation. The case continues to unfold, with law enforcement investigating the full circumstances of the attack and Shehzad’s illegal entry into India.