Saif attacker withdraws bail plea, moves magistrate court claiming arrest illegal

The lawyers for Shariful Islam, the man who allegedly attacked actor Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra residence, withdrew his bail application before the sessions court on Friday. They approached the Bandra magistrate court claiming that his arrest was illegal.

The Mumbai police had last month filed a chargesheet against Islam, for the attack on January 16 at Khan’s residence in Bandra. Earlier, his lawyers had filed a bail application, claiming that he was falsely implicated. On Friday, they withdrew the application and filed a plea before the Bandra magistrate court, claiming that his arrest and detention on January 19 was illegal. The court will hear the plea on May 13.

He is booked on charges, including section 311 (robbery or dacoity with attempt to cause death or grievous hurt), 312 (attempt to commit robbery or dacoity when armed with deadly weapon) 331(4) (punishment for house breaking), of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita along with sections of the Passport Act and Foreigners Act, for allegedly illegally entering India and residing here. He faces a maximum of life imprisonment.