The knife attack on Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan has spiraled into a political storm after Maharashtra Ports Minister Nitesh Rane raised doubts about the veracity of the incident. The shocking comments come just a day after the 54-year-old actor was discharged from Mumbai’s Lilavati Hospital, where doctors reported six stab wounds, including one dangerously close to his spinal cord.
Rane’s inflammatory remarks have drawn widespread criticism. Speaking to reporters, the BJP leader accused Khan of exaggerating his injuries, stating, “I doubted if he had been stabbed… or if he was acting. He was dancing while walking out of the hospital.”
The controversy deepened as Rane launched into a tirade about illegal immigrants in Mumbai. “Look at what Bangladeshis are doing in Mumbai. They entered Saif Ali Khan’s house. Earlier, they used to stand at road crossings… now they have started entering houses. Maybe he came to take him (Khan) away. It is good… garbage should be taken away,” he said.
Political Leaders React
The incendiary comments did not stop there. Rane also criticized Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders Jitendra Awhad and Supriya Sule, accusing them of selective outrage.
“Whenever any Khan, like Shah Rukh Khan or Saif Ali Khan, gets hurt, everyone starts talking about it. But when a Hindu actor like Sushant Singh Rajput is tortured, no one comes forward to say anything,” he claimed.
ALSO READ: Man who stabbed Saif Ali Khan held from Thane, documents seized say he is Bangladeshi
Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, however, dismissed Rane’s remarks, urging restraint. “I don’t know what he said… but if he has something on his mind, he can tell the Home Department. The truth, at the moment, is that the person has been arrested,” Pawar said, confirming that the accused is a Bangladeshi national.
Details of the Attack
The suspect, Shariful Shehzad, reportedly broke into Khan’s home intending to commit a burglary. Police believe Shehzad demanded Rs 1 crore when confronted by the actor’s nanny before attacking Khan. Sources say Shehzad, who had been living in India illegally, was tracked down in Thane after a citywide manhunt. He has since been arrested and is in police custody.
However, Shehzad’s lawyer has contested these claims, stating that the allegations are baseless and that his client is being scapegoated due to the celebrity involved. “They have not produced any document to prove he is a Bangladeshi national,” the lawyer argued.
A Divisive Debate
As the story unfolds, opposition leader Sanjay Nirupam also waded into the controversy, questioning the seriousness of Khan’s injuries. “The way Saif came out… it seemed nothing happened six days ago,” he remarked.
Meanwhile, doctors at Lilavati Hospital have maintained that the injuries were life-threatening. “If the knife was two millimeters deeper… it could have been catastrophic,” a senior doctor was quoted as saying.
ALSO READ: Mumbai school gets bomb threat, email mentions ‘Afzal Gang’
The incident has reignited debates over illegal immigration in Mumbai, with politicians and citizens voicing concerns. Deputy CM Pawar acknowledged the issue but stressed the need for due process, stating that the accused “needed money to return to Bangladesh.”
This high-profile case has not only drawn attention to Mumbai’s security challenges but also exposed deep political and social fault lines, as incendiary remarks overshadow the gravity of the attack.
