Facial recognition technology has played a key role in cracking the case of Saif Ali Khan's stabbing, confirming that the 30-year-old Bangladeshi national arrested in connection with the attack, is the same person seen in CCTV footage from the crime scene.
The police said the forensic analysis validated that Mohammad Shariful Islam, who had entered the actor's Bandra residence with the intent to rob on January 16, was the individual captured on security cameras installed at the high-rise building where Khan lived.
According to the Bandra police, the forensic report, which utilised facial recognition, verified that the 30-year-old Bangladeshi national arrested in connection with the crime is the same person seen in the CCTV footage from the Satguru Sharan building, where the actor resides.
Attack on Saif Ali Khan
Islam allegedly broke into the actor’s 12th-floor apartment in the early hours of January 16, and when confronted by the 54-year-old actor, he stabbed him six times before fleeing the scene. The police arrested Islam on January 19 in Thane, and after a thorough investigation, confirmed that facial recognition tests from the CCTV footage, as well as forensic analysis of physical evidence, linked him to the crime.
On Wednesday, a Bandra magistrate's court refused to extend the police custody of Islam, sending him to judicial remand. The court ruled that there were no new developments justifying further police custody. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Komal Sing Rajput stated, "At least at this stage, further police custody is not justified," while advising the police that if new information emerges, they can seek custody within the permissible period.
{{/usCountry}}On Wednesday, a Bandra magistrate's court refused to extend the police custody of Islam, sending him to judicial remand. The court ruled that there were no new developments justifying further police custody. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Komal Sing Rajput stated, "At least at this stage, further police custody is not justified," while advising the police that if new information emerges, they can seek custody within the permissible period.
{{/usCountry}}The police had sought an extension of custody, citing the need to investigate further into Islam's illegal entry into India and his financial transactions. A team had also been dispatched to Kolkata to gather relevant information. Islam had allegedly changed his name from Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad to "Bijoy Das" after entering India, and authorities are still working to identify the individuals who facilitated his crossing of the border.
Saif Ali Khan, who underwent emergency surgery following the attack, was discharged from the hospital after five days. Though recovering from his injuries, Khan has yet to publicly address the incident.