Fingerprint Mismatch In Saif Ali Khan Attack Case? Mumbai Police Clarifies

Is he or is he not the attacker in actor Saif Ali Khan stabbing case? The Mumbai Police, to tamp down rumours surrounding the arrested accused, Tuesday answered in the affirmative: "Yes, we have the right man in custody".

"The person who has been arrested is the accused. We have caught the right accused. We have got enough evidence to prove that he is the accused, there is no doubt whether he is the accused or not," said Paramjit Singh Dahiya, Additional Commissioner of Police, Mumbai

"A lot of technical, physical and oral evidence has been found against the accused," said the senior police official, dismissing media reports that appear to suggest that the wrong man has been arrested.

Saif Ali Khan was stabbed in five places - back, wrist, neck, shoulder, and elbow - in an apparent burglary at his home in Mumbai in the early hours of January 16 and was taken to Lilavati Hospital in an autorickshaw by his friend.

Mr Khan, who has appeared in more than 70 movies and television series, was back home from the hospital within a week.

Amid reports that the 19 sets of fingerprints collected from the actor's home do not match the fingerprints of the accused Shariful Islam, the Mumbai Police has categorically denied the claim.

"We haven't received any fingerprint report yet. We will get it later. No information about fingerprint report has been received so far," said the top officer.

After over 70 hours of an intense manhunt, Islam was arrested from near Hiranandani Estate in Kasarvadavali in Thane, about 35 kilometres from Mr Khan's house in Bandra, on January 19. He was subsequently remanded in police custody.

The lawyer representing the accused told the court that the allegations against his client were false and that the matter is in focus because a celebrity has been targeted. The accused's lawyer said his client was being made a scapegoat in the high profile case.

In another development, the Mumbai Police has recorded the statement of a West Bengal-based woman, whose Aadhar Card was used by the accused, Sariful Islam, to buy a sim card.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Monday said that confusion should not be created regarding the case.

"In this case, the police are properly conducting an investigation. Police have almost everything related to the case. Police will take this case to its logical conclusion," said the Chief Minister.

 Earlier, the father of a man who was detained in Durg in Chhattisgarh as a suspect in the January 16 Saif Ali Khan case slammed Mumbai police for "ruining my son's life".

"People are saying there is no resemblance between my son and the actual accused. He lost his job and his marriage was called off. Who is responsible? The behaviour of the police has destroyed Akash's future," said the father of the man detained.