Saif Ali Khan Case: In a major breakthrough, the facial recognition test has verified that the accused in actor Saif Ali Khan's stabbing case, Mohammad Shariful Islam, is the same person seen in the CCTV footage from the crime scene, Mumbai Police said on Friday. Islam, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested on January 19 in Thane.
"Arrested accused Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad's facial recognition tested positive. As per the test, the person in CCTV footage and Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad are confirmed to be the same person,” said Mumbai Police, as quoted by news agency ANI.
The accused allegedly entered Saif Ali Khan's residence on the 12th floor of a Bandra high-rise in the early hours of January 16 to rob the house. When confronted by Khan, Islam allegedly stabbed the actor six times before escaping.
Saif Ali Khan was rushed to Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital, where doctors performed emergency surgery. One of the stab wounds was dangerously close to his spinal cord, causing a spinal fluid leak. After five days in the hospital, he was discharged and advised to remain on bed rest.
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Saif Ali Khan Stabbing Case: Mumbai Court Proceedings
A Mumbai court yesterday denied the police's request for extended custody of Islam. The Bandra magistrate's court ruled that no fresh grounds had been presented to justify further police custody and sent Islam to judicial remand.
However, citing provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the court noted that if new developments arise, police could request custody again within the permissible period. Under India's revised criminal laws, police can seek up to 15 days of custody, either continuously or in parts, over a 40- or 60-day period, depending on the severity of the crime.
Despite the court's denial of extended custody, Mumbai Police maintain they have "ample and strong evidence" against Islam. The police have conducted facial recognition tests on the CCTV footage, which confirmed that Islam was the person seen entering and exiting Mr Khan's building.