Saif Ali Khan Attacker? Colaba Resident Loses Job, Marriage Over Mistaken Identity
An erroneous alert by Mumbai police has cost 31-year-old Akash Kailash Kanojia his job as well as his marriage, the Colaba resident told Hindustan Times.

Saif Ali Khan Attacker: An erroneous alert by Mumbai police has cost 31-year-old Akash Kailash Kanojia his job as well as his marriage, the Colaba resident told Hindustan Times.
Mumbai police issued a false alarm, costing 31-year-old Akash Kailash Kanojia both his marriage and his job, the Colaba resident informed Hindustan Times.
On January 17, Kanojia was arrested by railway protection force (RPF) officers at Durg railway station while he was going by Jnaneswar Express from Mumbai to Bilaspur to see his future bride. This came after the RPF was notified by Mumbai police that he was responsible for the January 16 failed break-in attempt at actor Saif Ali Khan's Bandra West flat.
“The RPF personnel not only apprehended me, they also issued a press release with my photograph, which was shown widely by television channels and media outlets. As a result, the bride’s family cancelled the meeting with me and my employer terminated my services,” Kanojia said.
Also Read: Republic Day 2025: 5 Best Patriotic Songs to Celebrate India’s 76th Republic Day
Kanojia was employed as a driver with a tour company which works with Western Railway in Mumbai. On January 17, he received a call from Mumbai police, who asked him where he was. When he told the officer that he was at home, the latter disconnected the call, he said.
“The next day, I boarded Jnaneswari Express from Mumbai hoping to visit my ailing grandmother in our native place Nehla in Chhattisgarh. I was supposed to change trains in Bilaspur to go to Nehla and was slated to meet the family of my prospective bride later,” he told HT.
When the Jnaneswari Express arrived at Durg junction at around 10 a.m. on January 18, RPF officers arrested him on suspicion of being the assailant and transported him to Raipur. Nearly twelve hours later, the Mumbai police team arrived and informed him that he would be returned to the city the next day for more inquiry.
“I told the police that I had nothing to do with the attack on Saif Ali Khan and offered to make them speak with my relatives. I also told them that they could check footage from CCTVs installed near my house to clarify their doubts. But they did not pay any heed – instead, they took my photos and circulated them in the media, claiming I was the attacker,” said Kanojia.
Also Read: Arvind Kejriwal’s ‘Very Very Very Important’ Press Conference Today at 1 PM – What to Expect?
However, authorities arrested Shariful Islam Shehzad, a suspected Bangladeshi national, from Thane on the evening of January 18 and accused him of breaking into the actor's home with the purpose to rob him.
Police officers freed Kanojia the following morning and informed him that he may now go to his grandmother's house. He begged them to bring him to Mumbai because he was afraid they would follow him and interrogate him in front of his loved ones. However, his request was denied.
“When I spoke to my mother (in Mumbai) after being released, she seemed very worried as my photo had been shown on all news channels and asked me to return home immediately. The next day, when I called my employer, he asked me to stop reporting for work, saying, ‘You are in legal trouble and I don’t want to get into trouble because of you’. I tried explaining the matter to him but he wasn’t willing to hear me out,” said Kanojia.
At about the same time, he also got a call from his grandmother, who informed him that the family of his potential bride had declined the marriage proposal after seeing his picture on news channels.
“After what has happened, I am not sure if I will be able to get married in future,” he said.
Things were looking good for his family after a long time, “My brother died some time back after prolonged medical treatment, for which we had to sell whatever we had, including our house in Virar. My father’s garage in Colaba was also shut down after somebody cheated him of ₹9 lakh and fled the country,” said Kanojia, who is an accused in a drug-related case and a theft case. “I hope the courts will eventually clear me of all the charges,” he said.
Even though the damage is done, Kanojia wants all of the pictures that show him as the attacker taken down from the internet. He has approached a lawyer for this, but he cannot afford the costs.
“The police failed to notice a simple thing – that I have moustache, while the person captured in CCTV cameras installed in Saif Ali Khan’s building did not have one. Yet. I had to go through this ordeal,” he told HT.
Also Read: $300 Million Doomsday Bunker Unveiled: Elite Suites & Futuristic Robotic Staff
For breaking news and live news updates, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter and Instagram. Read more on Latest Entertainment News on The National Bulletin