Noor-us-Sabah
Police investigating the knife attack on actor Saif Ali Khan shifted the crime’s motive to an “international conspiracy.” They obtained a five-day remand from a Mumbai court on Sunday to question the suspect, Mohammed Shariful Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national. The court noted the accused’s nationality and the possibility of an international conspiracy, granting police custody for further investigation.
The attack occurred early Thursday morning at Khan’s secure Bandra residence, but details remain scarce, fueling speculation. The investigating officer demanded 14-day custody, stating that the accused trespassed, attacked Khan, and injured two others. “We need to determine his motives and how he entered the country,” the officer explained.
The defense argued that the accused was an Indian citizen living in Mumbai, not a Bangladeshi national. The lawyer claimed the case was exaggerated due to Khan’s celebrity status. He added that the accused, with no criminal record, was being unfairly blamed.
The court, acknowledging the investigation’s early stages, justified the request for police custody, ruling that remand was necessary. Shehzad’s lawyer later expressed concern about the changing case angle, stating that Khan had never been threatened internationally.
Police teams had been pursuing Shehzad for more than two days before arresting him on Sunday morning. The shift to a Bangladesh connection could help the BJP in upcoming Delhi elections by raising concerns about migrant voters.
Meanwhile, Khan, who underwent surgery at Lilavati Hospital, is recovering and may soon be discharged, according to doctors.
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