A 30-year-old Bangladeshi national, Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir was arrested for allegedly breaking into actor Saif Ali Khan's home and attacking him during an attempt at burglary on January 16.

How was the accused tracked down?

It involved a whopping 72-hour operation where over 300 police officers of Mumbai were used to track down the accused. Details of over 600 CCTV cameras had been screened for the trace, and it finally ended at the Thane when details of the UPI payment were found, through which they could trace him further through the CCTV video wherein he is shown alighting from a bike; further leading to the two-wheeler's registration number.

Who is Shariful Islam Shehzad?

Further investigations revealed that Shehzad had entered India illegally and was living under the alias Bijoy Das. Before targeting Saif Ali Khan’s home, he had scouted Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat bungalow but failed to break in due to high security. Financial struggles reportedly led Shehzad to plan these robberies at celebrity homes.

What happened at Saif Ali Khan’s residence?

The police scanned through hours of footage in the Bandra building where Saif Ali Khan, his wife Kareena Kapoor Khan, and their children reside and noticed the suspect leaving the building after the attack. They scanned through hours of footage across the city and found him getting off a bike in DN Nagar, Andheri. The registration of the vehicle helped police trace him to a rented accommodation in Worli.

How was he finally caught?

Local intelligence and police efforts led them to bushes on a deserted road in Thane, where Shehzad was hiding. When the police approached, he tried to flee but was overpowered and arrested.

What did the police find about him?

Shehzad had been a housekeeper in a restaurant in Thane and had been terminated in December 2024. Shehzad, who introduced himself as Bijoy Das, had been employed by a third-party vendor, confirmed the restaurant manager. His conduct while working here was said to be decent.

Other crimes involvement

It has also been reported that Shehzad was also involved in the theft of a diamond ring at a customer's house in Worli. His crime was followed by his termination from another employment due to an official complaint that resulted in evidence of his offense in the CCTV footage.

Is there any international angle?

The Mumbai Police are probing if it is an international conspiracy. Shehzad, who was a Bangladeshi national, admitted to having entered India without proper documents and assumed a false identity. The court has remanded him to five days of police custody to probe further in the matter.

 What happened to Saif Ali Khan?

According to reports, Saif Ali Khan was attacked in his apartment inside Bandra's posh Satguru Sharan building with a knife. He underwent emergency surgery at Lilavati Hospital and is likely to recover soon.