Twist in Saif Ali Khan stabbing: Fingerprints don’t match accused – but cops say they have a strong case; here’s why

Saif Ali Khan’s stabbing case: The chargesheet filed in Saif Ali Khan’s stabbing case revealed that the fingerprint samples collected from the actor’s Mumbai flat do not match those of the accused, Md Shehzad Shariful Islam.

Last week, the Mumbai Police filed a chargesheet linked to the case in the Metropolitan Magistrate Court. The chargesheet, which is about 1,000 pages long, includes several pieces of evidence against Islam.

What does chargesheet say about fingerprints not matching?

A total of 20 fingerprint samples were sent to the CID’s Fingerprint Bureau, but 19 of them did not match the accused's fingerprints.

The chargesheet, according to a News 18 report, reveals that the fingerprints found on the black bathroom door, the sliding door of the bedroom, and the cupboard door did not match Shariful Islam. Notably, ⁠the only fingerprint that matched the accused was the one recovered from the eighth floor of the building.

However, Mumbai Police sources told News 18 that fingerprint matches are rare as many people touch the same objects, making them unreliable as sole evidence.

What other evidence was provided in the case?

The knife fragment that got lodged near the actor's spine during the attack, as well as a part found at the scene of the crime, have matched with the weapon recovered from the accused, the chargesheet revealed.

The three pieces were part of the same weapon used to attack the actor, police said while opposing the bail plea of the accused.

What do police say about chargesheet and evidence?

"This chargesheet includes several pieces of evidence found by the police against the arrested accused, Shariful Islam. This chargesheet is more than 1000 pages long. The report of the forensic lab has also been mentioned in this chargesheet, which states that the knife pieces found at the crime scene, from Saif Ali Khan's body and from the accused, are three pieces of the same knife," as per Mumbai police.

"At the same time, the fingerprint report of the accused's left hand found by the police during the investigation has also been mentioned, said the Mumbai police.

Saif Ali Khan was attacked on January 16 when the accused, Shariful Islam, allegedly broke into his Bandra home during a robbery attempt.

Saif Ali Khan sustained serious injuries, including damage to his thoracic spine, and was admitted to Lilavati Hospital. He was treated for five days before being discharged on January 21.

(With inputs from News 18 and agencies)