In a shocking incident that unfolded a few days ago, a Bangladeshi national broke into Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s residence in Bandra, Mumbai, and attacked him. The Mumbai Police, in the chargesheet submitted to the court, revealed that the accused had entered Saif's house with the intention of stealing Rs 30,000 to obtain fake Aadhaar and PAN cards.
According to the chargesheet, the accused, identified as Mohammad Shariful Islam Shahzad, informed the police that he had entered India illegally with the sole purpose of acquiring an Indian passport. Shahzad told police that compared to Bangladeshi nationals, it is easier for Indian citizens to secure work visas abroad. To apply for the passport, he first needed Aadhaar and PAN cards.
The incident took place on January 16, when Shahzad allegedly attempted a robbery at Saif Ali Khan’s Bandra home. During the break-in, Saif was seriously injured and rushed to Lilavati Hospital with bleeding wounds. He was discharged five days later after receiving treatment.
Three days after the attack, the Mumbai Police arrested Shahzad from Thane.
During interrogation, Shahzad revealed that he hails from the Jhalokathi district of Bangladesh. He had illegally entered India eight months before the attack. After spending 15 days in Kolkata, he traveled to Mumbai by Gitanjali Express.
In Mumbai, he began working at a hotel. On January 15, a day before the attack, he took leave from work, stating that he was unwell and also planned to get Aadhaar and PAN cards made. He told the police that he had spoken to someone who had demanded Rs 30,000 for providing fake documents. As he didn’t have the money, he plotted a small theft.
Shahzad recounted how he accessed Saif Ali Khan’s building. He climbed onto the terrace of a neighbouring building and from there jumped into the compound of Saif’s apartment. Using the staircase at the rear of the building, he reached an upper floor where he found a security grill. He used a cutter to break through the grill and accessed the air-conditioning duct, eventually entering Saif’s house through the bathroom.
Once inside, Saif’s house help, startled by the intruder, asked him what he wanted. Shahzad demanded Rs1 crore. At that moment, Saif Ali Khan entered the room and confronted him. Shahzad confessed that in an attempt to escape, he attacked Saif with a knife, injuring his back and hand. Saif managed to push him into a room and lock the door, but Shahzad escaped through the window, climbed down a pipe, changed his clothes at the ground floor, and fled to a bus stop, where he spent the night before heading to Bandra station.
The police have now filed the chargesheet in the case, and further investigation is underway.