Father of alleged accused in Saif Ali Khan case claims his son’s innocence

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The father of Shariful Islam Sajjad, a man reportedly arrested in Mumbai in connection with an attack on actor Saif Ali Khan, has claimed that his son is innocent. Md Ruhul Amin, Shariful's father, urged the Indian authorities to release his son, stating that the arrest was based on mistaken identity.

Shariful Islam Sajjad, a 30-year-old resident of Rajabaria village in Jhalakathi, a southern district of Bangladesh more than 200 kilometres from Dhaka, is accused of being involved in an assault on Saif Ali Khan on January 16. However, his father maintains that Shariful is not the person responsible for the attack.

Speaking to ANI over the phone, Md Ruhul Amin said, "I have learned through various YouTube channels and from journalists via telephone that my son has been arrested in India. He has been accused of assaulting actor Saif Ali Khan. However, my son is innocent." According to Md Ruhul Amin, the arrest was made because of Shariful's physical resemblance to the person involved in the attack, but he insists that his son is not guilty.

Further, Md Ruhul Amin revealed that Shariful left Bangladesh several months ago due to political harassment. He claimed that his family, with strong associations to the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), had been subjected to oppression and false cases during the tenure of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. "My son fled the country because of the political persecution he and his brothers faced," he added.

Shariful Islam's father plans to approach the Bangladesh government to initiate diplomatic measures for his son's release. He said, "I will request the Bangladesh government to take steps for my son's release. I will go to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a few days to formally request their intervention."

Shariful had reportedly travelled to India six or seven months ago, and his father strongly believes that it is impossible for him to have assaulted a prominent figure like Saif Ali Khan within such a short time frame. "My son is innocent. He cannot have assaulted someone of Saif Ali Khan's stature in such a brief period," Md Ruhul Amin stated.

As per ANI, on January 16, the actor was attacked during a violent confrontation, suffering stab wounds to his thoracic spine and other parts of his body. Saif Ali Khan was rushed to Lilavati Hospital for immediate medical treatment.

In the course of the investigation, the police discovered fingerprints matching those of the accused at various locations in Saif Ali Khan's residence. The accused allegedly attempted to enter several houses before finally reaching the actor's home with the intention of stealing. Mumbai Police have emphasised that these fingerprints will be crucial to the ongoing investigation.

(With inputs from ANI)