Saif Ali Khan stabbing: 5 photos and 5 claims ‘deepen mystery’ about attacker

MUMBAI: As the investigation into the stabbing and attempted robbery at Saif Ali Khan’s Bandra home appeared to be nearing its conclusion, new doubts have emerged regarding the identity of the accused.
Shariful Fakir’s father, Mohammad Rohul Amin, has questioned his son’s detention and the suspect’s appearance in the CCTV footage released by the police.
While five photographs — three from CCTV cameras, one of the suspect in custody, and another from his ID card — show some similarities between the suspect and Shariful, Rohul Amin insists that the resemblance is not exact.
Claim No. 1
Mohammad Rohul Amin argues that his son is innocent and was wrongfully arrested. He pointed out that the man in the CCTV footage has long hair that touches his eyes, while his son has always kept his hair short and styled upwards. “The man in the footage is not my son,” Rohul Amin said.
Claim No. 2
The police, however, maintain that forensic analysis has confirmed that Shariful Fakir (30), arrested for the January 16 break-in and stabbing at Khan’s residence, has fingerprints that match those found at multiple locations within the actor’s flat.
A village-level BNP functionary, Rohul Amin further stated that he is in discussions with senior political leaders in Bangladesh to raise his son’s “false arrest” as a diplomatic issue.
Claim No. 3
Shariful is the second of Rohul’s three sons. While his elder son works for a private company in Dhaka and the youngest is still in school, Shariful dropped out after Class 10 and took up odd jobs after his father lost his job at a Khulna jute mill.
Claim No. 4
Maharashtra Congress president Nana Patole has also expressed doubts over the arrest. “The police must clarify whether the person arrested for the attack on Saif Ali Khan’s home is the same as the one seen in the CCTV footage,” Patole said.
Claim. No 5
However, senior police officials have asserted that the suspect’s identity was verified thoroughly before being publicly released. “The accused’s identity is solid. We have verified it, and his name was released only after thorough verification,” a senior IPS officer told Times of India.