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Accused in actor Saif Ali Khan stabbing case seeks bail, claims false charges
Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad argued that "the first information report is patently false and a false case has been registered against him".
Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, the 30-year-old Bangladeshi national arrested for allegedly stabbing Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan in his Bandra house in January, has applied for bail, claiming that the charges against him are false.
In his plea before the sessions court on Friday, Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad argued that "the first information report is patently false and a false case has been registered against him," according to news agency PTI.
Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan (54) was allegedly stabbed multiple times by an intruder inside his 12th-floor apartment in upscale Bandra area of Maharashtra's Mumbai on January 16. The actor was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for emergency surgery and was discharged a few ays later.
Shehzad's arrest
Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad was arrested by the police two days after the attack. Before the arrest, Mumbai Police had detained two other individuals as suspected attackers on the basis of the CCTV footage from the actor's building.
In his bail application, the accused argued that his arrest was illegal, accusing the investigation agency of "blatantly disregarding" Section 47 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), which relates to informing an individual about the grounds of their arrest and their right to bail.
The plea also challenged the validity of the charge, stating that even if witness statements were taken at face value, they would not meet the requirements of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Section 311, which covers serious crimes like robbery or dacoity with intent to cause death or grievous harm.
Filed through lawyer Ajay Gawali, Shehzad's plea argued that all necessary recovery and discovery have been made, and the investigation is practically complete, with only the filing of the chargesheet pending. The plea also noted that the accused has fully cooperated with the investigation, and further detention would serve no useful purpose.
The court will hear the plea on April 1.
