Police confirm limited fingerprint link in Saif Ali Khan stabbing probe

Express Tribune

16-04-2025

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A significant development has emerged in the investigation into the stabbing of actor Saif Ali Khan, with Mumbai Police confirming that 19 of the 20 fingerprint samples collected from the actor's Bandra residence do not match those of the accused, Shariful Islam.
According to the chargesheet, filed last week in the Metropolitan Magistrate Court, only one fingerprint—found on the eighth floor of the building—matched the accused.
The remaining prints, including those on the bathroom door, sliding bedroom door and a cupboard, did not correspond with Shariful Islam's, raising questions over the physical evidence linking him directly to the scene.
Police, however, remain confident in their case. According to Indian meda fingerprint matches alone are not considered conclusive, given that household items are routinely touched by many people.
Officers noted that the likelihood of obtaining usable and unique prints from such surfaces is minimal, citing odds of just one in a thousand.
The chargesheet, spanning over 1,000 pages, outlines a broader set of evidence. This includes knife fragments recovered from Khan's body and the crime scene, which forensic analysis confirms are part of the same weapon seized from the accused.
'The knife pieces found at the scene, from Saif Ali Khan's body, and from the accused are from the same knife,' police said while opposing Islam's bail.
The case has also unearthed evidence of unauthorised financial activity. Investigators claim Islam, believed to be a Bangladeshi national, transferred money out of India via a relative, using informal channels to reach his brother-in-law, Abdulla Alim, through a bank account in Bangalore.
Saif Ali Khan was attacked on 16 January during a suspected robbery at his residence. The assailant reportedly gained access to the flat and injured one of Khan's staff before the actor intervened and sustained multiple stab wounds, including damage to his thoracic spine.
He was hospitalised at Lilavati Hospital and discharged after five days.
While Shariful Islam has maintained that the charges are fabricated, police insist their case is backed by forensic and technological findings, including facial recognition, witness identification, and digital evidence.
The absence of matching fingerprints, they argue, does not undermine the weight of other corroborating material.
Earlier, Soha Ali Khan publicly addressed the online backlash surrounding her brother Saif Ali Khan's swift recovery
In a recent media interaction, sheexpressed her frustration, saying such commentary lacks empathy.
She stated that "But yes, I do get angry when people comment without having any information. They don't have any emotions attached, so where do these passionate opinions come from?'
She further added that 'When it doesn't affect their personal lives, why do they get so interested? That is beyond my understanding.