Saif attack case: Over a dozen CCTVs, mobile phone location, IP details among strong technical evidence that nail Bangladeshi man, says Mumbai police

Paramjeet Singh Dahiya, Additional Commissioner of Police (West Region), said, “No official report on the fingerprint examination has come yet.”

Dahiya praised the investigation. “It’s an excellent clue-based detection by the Mumbai Police with the help of the
crime branch. I can confidently say that we have got sufficient concrete evidence in the case,” he said. “We have gathered ample oral, physical and technical evidence.”

The fingerprint samples were sent to the state CID for examination. Some media reports said the fingerprint results had come back negative, prompting speculation that the police may have arrested the wrong person.

Police officials refused to comment on negative report from CID’s fingerprint bureau but emphasised there was plenty of other evidence to prove that the man in custody is indeed the prime suspect.

“There had been instances in the past wherein fingerprints reports had come negative or inconclusive, but other evidence nailed the culprit. We have very strong technical evidence and the same will be made part of a watertight case against the person we have nabbed,” a senior police officer said.

The police have also claimed that they are yet to receive reports on many evidence samples collected from the spot and sent to forensic lab.

This also include 19 fingerprints of the suspected robber, who allegedly attacked the Bollywood actor on January 16 at his home. The Bangladeshi national was arrested from the Thane labour camp area on January 19.

Investigators have also sent Islam’s blood samples to a forensic science laboratory for analysis.

Dahiya also tried to put an end to speculations regarding Khan’s timing of reaching the Lilavati hospital and stated that as per the hospital’s CCTV footage, the injured actor had reached the Lilavati hospital at 2.47am.

The senior officer also said that the investigating officer of the case was changed due to administrative reasons.

“The accused have confessed to the crime and during reconstruction of the incident, he showed us the sequence of events of the entire incident,” another officer said.

Amid allegations that Islam’s appearance does not match that of the intruder captured in CCTV footage from the building Satguru Sharan, where the actor lives, the police have decided to conduct a facial recognition test on Islam to ascertain his role in the crime.

Worked in Bandra restaurant near Saif’s house

While chalking out details of Bangladeshi national Islam’s stay in India, police have learned that he also worked in a restaurant in Bandra area, which is not very far from Saif’s house. And because of this, he was well aware of the Bandra area. After working in Bandra restaurant for three days, he quit the job. He roamed around in the area in an auto-rickshaw to figure out in which area rich people live.

Besides Bandra, Islam had also worked in hotels and pubs in Worli, Churchgate, Andheri and Thane.

During investigation, the police have also found out that after illegally entering India, Islam stayed in Kolkata for few days. He would spend time outside hospital to get free food. During this time, one Khukumoni Jahangir Sekh, from Nadia, West Bengal had come to Kolkata for her husband’s treatment. When police enquired her how Islam was using her sim card, she told the police that it was stolen by Islam when they were outside the hospital. Police have recorded statement of her and her uncle and verifying their claims.

During police interrogation, when the police asked why he moved to Mumbai for theft, the accused claimed that in West Bengal the police and the people could easily differentiate Bangladeshi accent, and they would identify him as a Bangladeshi national. Hence, he moved to Mumbai.

Currently in police custody, Islam is scheduled to be produced in court on Wednesday.