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A Bangladeshi national accused of stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan on January 16 allegedly entered India illegally seven months ago and used a West Bengal resident's Aadhaar card to procure a SIM card, Mumbai Police revealed on Tuesday.
The accused, identified as Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir (30), was arrested on Sunday in neighbouring Thane city. Fakir, who operated under the alias Vijay Das, is said to have crossed the Dawki River to enter India unlawfully. According to PTI reports, he initially stayed in West Bengal before making his way to Mumbai in search of work.
Police officials said that during his time in West Bengal, the accused used the Aadhaar card of a local resident, Khukumoni Jahangir Sekha, to acquire a SIM card. Efforts to obtain an Aadhaar card in his own name reportedly failed. The SIM card enabled him to communicate with his family in Bangladesh, with call records indicating frequent international calls made directly or via mobile applications.
In Mumbai, Fakir avoided jobs requiring formal documentation. Labour contractor Amit Pandey reportedly arranged housekeeping jobs for him in pubs and hotels located in Worli and Thane.
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On January 16, Fakir allegedly gained entry into Khan's 12th-floor apartment in Bandra and attacked the actor with a knife, inflicting multiple stab wounds. The assault necessitated immediate surgery for the 54-year-old Bollywood star. The police are investigating how the accused accessed the residential complex, which has left residents concerned about security measures.
Preliminary investigations revealed Fakir's illegal entry into the country and his use of fraudulent methods to sustain himself. His mobile phone records are being scrutinised, and authorities are tracing his activities since his arrival. Fakir's motives for targeting Khan remain unclear.
The Bandra metropolitan magistrate's court has remanded Fakir to five days of police custody for further interrogation. The incident has raised questions about gaps in border security and misuse of identification documents like Aadhaar cards, prompting the police to focus on identifying vulnerabilities in the system.
(With inputs from PTI)
