Man falsely identified as Saif Ali Khan's attacker loses job, marriage proposal

A man mistakenly detained by Indian police in connection with the Saif Ali Khan attack case found himself in dire circumstances. He was terminated from his job, and his in-laws refused to marry their daughter with him.

Akash Kanojia, 31, was arrested at a train station in Chhattisgarh on January 18 while traveling from Mumbai to Bilaspur to meet his prospective bride.

Following his arrest, police circulated his photographs on broadcast and social media, which left Kanojia’s family in shock and distress after his image went viral as the “main suspect” in the attack on Saif Ali Khan.

Read more: Police arrest Saif Ali Khan’s attacker after tracing online payment made for paratha 

“They failed to notice that I have a moustache and the person in the CCTV the police received from the building is clean-shaved,” said Kanjia while slamming the police, which he believed ruined his life. 

The police personnel “not only apprehended me but they also issued a press release with my photograph, resulting in the bride's family cancelling the meeting with me and the employer terminated my services,” Indian Newspaper Hindustime quoted victim Kanojia as saying. 

Kanojia further explained that after he was released, his employer refused to reinstate him. “When I called my employer, he asked me not to report to work and didn’t even listen to my explanation,” he said.

However, Kanojia expressed his intention to stage a protest outside Saif Ali Khan’s apartment, claiming he lost everything due to the incident.

Also read: “He was dancing:” BJP minister says Saif Ali Khan was not attacked, calls actor ‘garbage’

On January 19, Mumbai Police apprehended Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad in Thane, Maharashtra. 

Shehzad was linked to the stabbing incident involving Saif Ali Khan (54), which occurred on January 16. Khan was attacked multiple times with a knife and subsequently underwent a six-hour operation at Lilavati Hospital.

Before Shehzad’s arrest, Mumbai Police detained Kanojia for questioning but later confirmed that he had no connection to the case.