In a major development, the Mumbai Police on Sunday finally arrested the attacker accused of stabbing actor Saif Ali Khan at his residence in Bandra, Mumbai, during a robbery attempt on January 16. The accused, identified as Mohammed Shehzad, was arrested from Thane in the wee hours of January 19.
The arrest came three days after Saif was attacked and a massive manhunt was launched by the Mumbai Police. According to reports, over 600 CCTV cameras were combed for even a tiny glimpse of the attacker and more than 300 cops were deployed to track him down.
How was Saif Ali Khan's attacker identified?
Saif's attacker was identified after a CCTV footage from the actor's residential complex showed him running down the emergency exit stairs after fleeing from the actor's house.
The picture of Shehzad from the footage was then used to trace him around the city, and he was spotted in the CCTV footage of a camera in DN Nagar, Andheri. In the footage, he was seen getting off a two-wheeler and the vehicle was then traced using its registration number.
The CCTV footages led the cop to a rented house in Worli Koliwada, and police found out that Shehzad lived there with three others. Cops found out his name and phone number from the flatmates, and used it to track him down further.
Saif's attacker made UPI payment
Cops also discovered that Shehzad had bought a paratha and a bottle of water from a locla vendor near Century Mill, Worli, and he had paid him via UPI.
The accused's phone number and additional details helped the cops trace him to Thane, and he was found sleeping in the midst of dense bushes near a labour camp in the city.
Shehzad reportedly ran when he spotted the cops approaching him, but he was outnumbered, and eventually overpowered.
He was arrested and produced at a local Bandra court on Sunday, and he has now been remanded to five days in police custody.
Attacker is history-sheeter
Post his arrest, it was revealed during the investigation that Shehzad was involved in another robbery when he worked in the Worli area. He was reportedly accused of stealing a diamond ring, post which he was fired from his job.
He then worked at The Blair All Day restaurant in Thane for two months, and his contract ended in December 2024.
The police stated that Shehzad is a Bangladeshi national who has been living in India illegally for the past few months. However, his lawyer said that the accused has been living and working in India for over 7 years now and he even had a family in the city.