Mumbai, Jan 22: Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Nirupam defended his remarks about Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan’s “swift” recovery following a knife attack at his Bandra residence, urging the actor’s family to clarify the events surrounding the incident.

Nirupam’s remarks came after Saif was discharged from Lilavati Hospital just five days after sustaining serious injuries, including spinal and neck injuries, during a burglary attempt at his 12th-floor flat in the upscale ‘Satguru Sharan’ building.

Speaking to Media, Nirupam said, “Whatever happened to Saif Ali Khan on January 16 is deeply concerning. While we respect the family, it is surprising to see Saif looking fit enough to shoot just days after being discharged. The doctors had stated the knife penetrated 2.5 inches into his back, requiring a six-hour operation. How is such a swift recovery medically possible?”

He added that Saif’s rapid recovery raises questions about the initial severity of the injuries described by doctors and witnesses. Nirupam demanded that both the family and the medical team provide clarity on the “horrific” knife attack.

“When Saif was attacked, it became a matter of law and order in Mumbai. Opposition leaders accused the government and Home Minister of failing. In such a situation, the family should explain what transpired,” Nirupam said.

Nirupam also commented on the accused, Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, a Bangladeshi national arrested by the Mumbai Police. He called for strict action against such individuals, citing the involvement of Bangladeshis in criminal activities in the city.

The Mumbai Police arrested the accused, a 30-year-old Bangladeshi national, from Thane city. The intruder allegedly stabbed Saif multiple times during a struggle, escaping the scene and hiding in the building’s garden for two hours before fleeing.

“The police will have to be given some benefit of the doubt because when such an incident takes place, a big incident occurs, then there is a lot of pressure on the police, and when it is felt from all sides that law and order has collapsed,” he said.

“I do not think it is right to doubt the capability of Mumbai police immediately, as it is sufficient to solve any type of criminal incident,” Nirupam said.

The 54-year-old actor, who underwent neurosurgery and plastic surgery, was advised complete bed rest for a week and has been asked to avoid visitors to prevent infection. Despite his injuries, Saif walked out of the hospital without a wheelchair, escorted by heavy police security.

Meanwhile, Saif has returned to his Bandra home under tight security. The actor has been advised to focus on his recovery as the investigation continues.

Kolkata: The West Bengal government has appealed to the Calcutta High Court’s Division Bench against the trial court’s life imprisonment verdict convicting Sanjay Roy in the RG Kar case. The next hearing in the case will be held on 27th January.

Advocate General Kishore Dutta has approached the division bench of Justice Debangshu Basak, seeking the death penalty for Sanjay Roy. The matter has been allowed to be filed.

The Sealdah Civil and Criminal Court announced life imprisonment for the accused Sanjay Roy in the RG Kar rape and murder case. Along with this, the court has also fined Rs 50,000 to the accused.

West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee Expresses Dissatisfaction

Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday expressed dissatisfaction over the court giving life imprisonment to the convict in the RG Kar hospital rape-murder case and said if the case had been with Kolkata Police, they would have ensured a death penalty.

“I learned about the sentencing from the media. We have always demanded capital punishment and we continue to stand by it. However, this is the court’s decision and I can’t say much about this. For three other cases, Kolkata police ensured capital punishment through thorough investigations concluded within 54-60 days. This was a serious case. Had it been under our purview, we would have ensured the death penalty long back,” CM Mamata said while addressing the media at Malda.

Victim’s Father Rejects Compensation

On Monday, RG Kar’s rape and murder case victim’s father rejected the Rs 17 lakh compensation and said that he will move to a higher court seeking the death penalty for the accused.

Speaking to Media, the victim’s father said “What the Court thinks as a good judgement based on the evidence produced by the CBI, the Court has given that verdict. We have a lot of questions on the investigation done by CBI. We did not go to the court for compensation. We want justice, not compensation. Kolkata police did wrong and the CBI will have to do something. The Kolkata police have given us more pain than the passing away of my daughter.”

Mumbai, Jan 22: The Mumbai Police have recovered a piece of cloth from actor Safi Ali Khan’s apartment which belongs to accused Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad, the Bangladeshi national arrested in the attack case.

Sources said the Bandra police recovered cloth from Khan’s house, which the accused used to cover his face. The cloth fell from his face in Saif’s son Jahangir’s room during the scuffle.

The cloth can be seen in the CCTV footage when Shehzad is climbing up the stairs before committing the crime. The police have sent the cloth and hair samples for DNA testing to the forensic department.

Earlier, the officials said that Shehzad had entered the actor’s building, Satguru Sharan, in the Bandra area by scaling its compound wall and found the security guards sleeping.

Sources said that both the security guards in the building were sleeping when the attacker entered it by crossing over the boundary wall.

The sources further said that as Shehzad found both the security guards sleeping, he entered the building from the main entrance where no CCTV camera exists. The accused removed his shoes and kept them in his bag to avoid making any noise. He also switched off his phone.

The police on Tuesday recreated the crime scene with the accused at the building. Police took the accused wherever he went after fleeing from Saif Ali Khan’s house. Shehzad was taken to the garden near the Satguru Sharan building and then to the National College Bus Stop where he was said to have stopped and stayed for a while after committing the crime. During the probe, the police took Shehzad to the Bandra Railway Station from where he had fled. Police are trying to find out how he reached the station.

The police were trying to record the chain of events starting from Shehzad’s entry to the building to his fleeing before being arrested.

Saif Ali Khan was stabbed six times by Shehzad inside his apartment in the early hours of January 16. The actor underwent emergency surgery at the Lilavati Hospital and was discharged on Tuesday. Three days after the attack, the police arrested the accused from neighbouring Thane city.

A court in Mumbai on Sunday remanded the accused in five-day police custody.

Shehzad, a native of Jhalokathi district in Bangladesh was residing in Mumbai for over five months. He had been working odd jobs and was associated with a housekeeping agency, the police have said.