A 31-year-old driver, Akash Kanojia, is demanding justice after being falsely being implicated in the January 16 stabbing of actor Saif Ali Khan.
Kanojia, who was detained by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) at Durg station in Chhattisgarh on January 18, has shared that he will now stand outside Saif’s Bandra home to ask for a job after the false accusation against him, led him to be sacked by his employer, and even rejected by his prospective bride.
“I plan to stand outside Saif Ai Khan’s building and seek a job as I have lost everything because of what happened to him,” Kanojia said in a statement to PTI.
Kanojia was detained following a tip-off from Mumbai Police but was released after the actual suspect, an alleged Bangladeshi national named Shariful Islam Shehzad Mohammad Rohilla Amin Fakir alias Vijay Das, was arrested in Thane on January 19.
Speaking to the media, Kanojia detailed how the false accusation turned his life upside down. In a statement reported by PTI, he said, “One mistake of the Mumbai police ruined my life. They failed to notice I had a moustache and the person in the CCTV grab from the actor’s building did not.” He added, “My family was left in tears after media outlets started showing my pictures, claiming I was the main suspect.”
Slamming the police for their misstep, he added, “I have two cases against my name in Cuffe Parade and one at Gurgaon. But it doesn’t mean I can be pulled up as a suspect in such a manner and then be left in the lurch.”
Saif Ali Khan, 54, was reportedly stabbed multiple times during a robbery attempt at his Bandra residence in Mumbai. The actor underwent surgery and has since been discharged.
Kanojia shared that since the news went viral, his employer has “refused to let me return to work and didn’t even listen to my explanation.”
In a personal loss, he shared that his prospective bride’s family also called off the marriage talks after he was detained.
The driver, who shared his plans to stand outside the actor’s building to seek a job, shared, “I have lost everything because of what happened to him. I need justice and a chance to rebuild my life.”
Meanwhile, the paparazzi spotted Saif and Kareena stepping out amidst tight security. The couple have reportedly been provided temporary police protection following the incident and have already reportedly amped up their security measures at their home and building premises.
