The man accused of attacking Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan earlier this year has moved the Bandra metropolitan magistrate’s court challenging the legality of his arrest and seeking release from custody. Mohammad Shariful Islam, a 30-year-old Bangladeshi national currently lodged in Mumbai’s Arthur Road Jail, has claimed that police violated legal procedures during his arrest.
On Friday, Islam withdrew his earlier bail application filed before the sessions court in April. Soon after, his lawyer, Ajay Gawli, submitted a fresh application before the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Bandra. In the plea, the accused argued that his detention was unlawful due to procedural lapses by the investigating authorities. The magistrate has directed the police to submit a response and adjourned the hearing to May 13. The case stems from a high-profile incident that took place on January 16, when Saif Ali Khan was allegedly stabbed multiple times by an intruder at his Bandra apartment on the 12th floor. The 54-year-old actor underwent emergency surgery at Lilavati Hospital and was discharged five days later. The attacker was apprehended two days after the incident.
Details from the police chargesheet reveal that Islam arrived in Mumbai eight-and-a-half months ago, having travelled from Kolkata on the Gitanjali Express. He had reportedly stayed in Kolkata for about 15 days before his journey to Mumbai. While he admitted to being a Bangladeshi citizen, the chargesheet remains vague on how he entered India. Although it confirms that he crossed the border illegally, it does not specify the method. During the investigation, Islam allegedly told police that his maternal step-uncle, who resides in Kolkata and has married an Indian woman, was his only known contact in India. Police discovered multiple screenshots of Bangladeshi identity documents on his mobile phone, raising further suspicion about his background.
A senior police official clarified that Islam did not use any agent to enter India. Instead, he appeared to have planned the journey on his own, using his mobile phone to identify possible routes. According to the chargesheet, he travelled by road and train to enter the country without any formal documentation. As the court considers the claim of unlawful arrest, the case continues to raise serious questions about cross-border movement and security loopholes—especially given the high-profile nature of the crime and the gaps in the accused’s immigration trail. The coming hearing on May 13 will likely bring further developments to light in this unusual and complex case.
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