Mohammed Shariful Fakir, the Bangladeshi national arrested for attacking actor Saif Ali Khan during the break-in at his house on January 16, is learnt to have told the police that while he had seen the actor on screen, he did not recognise him at the time of the incident.
Fakir is learnt to have said this during questioning in the presence of witnesses, whose statements are part of the over 1,600-page chargesheet filed in the case earlier.
According to these statements, Fakir told police that he only got to know it was Saif when he watched a news clip on YouTube later. He said he had watched Saif’s film, but could not recognise him as it was dark and the actor was clean-shaven. He also said that he mostly watched Tamil movies.
After the failed robbery attempt, Fakir reportedly got a haircut to change his appearance and bought headphones for
Rs 50 outside Dadar railway station as he wanted to “release pressure” by listening to songs. This purchase emerged as a key link, as he was caught on CCTV camera, eventually leading to his arrest a few days later.
While on the run, Fakir reportedly kept a tab on the developments and found out that the wrong person had been nabbed from Durg in Chhattisgarh.
Fakir is learnt to have told police that he conducted a recce of the building in Bandra, where Saif has an apartment, just the day before the failed robbery attempt. Police have secured CCTV footage from the nearby buildings which purportedly show Fakir in the area on January 15, between 3 pm and 6.45 pm.
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After the recce, Fakir allegedly hid in the bushes, waiting for nightfall. Late at night, he allegedly entered the building and tried to open a few doors but failed. On the 11th floor, he gained access to Saif’s house, after cutting a net and making his way into the actor’s son’s bathroom. When he opened the bathroom door, a toy fell and the sound alerted the boy’s nanny, according to the statements.
When confronted, Fakir allegedly said he was there to steal and not to harm anyone. But as another nanny screamed, he got aggressive and attacked Saif and a nanny during a scuffle, he is learnt to have told the police.
Fakir is learnt to have told the police that he escaped via the same route he used to enter the house. CCTV footage also captured his movement the next day, at 3.37 am, as he was making his escape. He went to a garden in Bandra, changed his clothes, and spent the night there before leaving for Worli in the morning.
Following his arrest, police recovered the clothes he was wearing during the incident along with a stern hammer and pliers from Waghbil village in Thane; a half-broken knife and a knife with a wooden handle among other items from near Bandra lake; and his shoes from a house in Worli Koliwada where he stayed temporarily. Fakir is learnt to have showed the police the stores in Dadar and Chembur from where he had bought the knives and tools.
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On his phone, police reportedly found photos of some of his relatives and friends, his Bangladeshi nationality certificate and character certificate in Bengali, voter ID card, two cheques, screenshots of various transactions he had made, including a payment made in the name of Vijay Das, the fake identity that he allegedly adopted, and a selfie with a woman.
The police have recorded the statements of 48 key witnesses and attached versions of 111 witnesses, including police personnel, panchas and forensic experts.
