Man mistaken as Saif 'attacker', loses job, prospective match

The Mumbai police on January 18 issued a press release with the photo of the man who allegedly attacked actor Saif Ali Khan at his Bandra residence on January 16.

- Vinay Dalvi

MUMBAI:

The man, now identified as 31-year-old Akash Kailash Kanojia, was picked up by officers of the Railway Protection Force (RPF) from the Durg railway station in Chhattisgarh when he was on his way to meet his ailing grandmother in his village in Nehla, Chhattisgarh.

In the hours that followed, however, the Mumbai Police apprehended Shariful Islam Shehzad, reportedly a Bangladeshi national, for the attempted burglary and attack, subsequently releasing Kanojia from custody.

"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," Kanojia told HT on Saturday.