BY PC Bureau
A 31-year-old Mumbai resident, Akash Kailash Kanojia, has lost his job and had his marriage proposal canceled after being mistakenly detained in connection with the recent attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan. According to a report in Hindustan Times, Kanojia was taken into custody on January 18 at Durg railway station while traveling to Chhattisgarh to visit his ailing grandmother and meet his prospective bride’s family.
Kanojia, a resident of Colaba, was on his way home when he was intercepted by Railway Protection Force (RPF) officers following an erroneous alert from Mumbai Police. Authorities mistakenly identified him as the assailant behind the foiled robbery attempt at Saif Ali Khan’s Bandra residence on January 16.
Public Shaming and Personal Fallout
Once detained, Kanojia’s photograph was widely circulated in the media, leading to severe personal and professional repercussions. His employer, a Mumbai-based tour company working with Western Railway, terminated his job, and his prospective bride’s family called off their meeting, fearing legal complications.
“The RPF not only detained me but also issued a press release with my photograph. Soon, news channels and media outlets broadcasted it everywhere,” Kanojia told Hindustan Times. “As a result, the bride’s family refused to meet me, and my employer told me to stop reporting to work.”
A Harrowing Ordeal
Kanojia recounted how, a day before his arrest, he received a call from Mumbai Police asking about his whereabouts. When he informed them he was at home, the officer simply disconnected the call. Unaware of what lay ahead, he boarded the Jnaneswari Express on January 17 to travel to Chhattisgarh.
However, when the train reached Durg junction around 10 AM on January 18, RPF officers detained him on suspicion of being the attacker. He was taken to Raipur, where he spent 12 hours waiting for Mumbai Police to arrive. Despite repeatedly asserting his innocence and offering to provide alibis or CCTV footage from his residence, his pleas were ignored.
The suspect accused of attacking Saif Ali Khan has been arrested by the Mumbai Police.
Look at his face and body — even a KRK-type half man could defeat him. How did he manage to dominate Saif? pic.twitter.com/laxdtLJJ9I
— Mr Sinha (@MrSinha_) January 17, 2025
“I told them they could verify my location through CCTV footage or speak to my family, but they didn’t listen. Instead, they circulated my photos in the media, branding me as the attacker,” Kanojia said.
Actual Suspect Caught, But Damage Was Done
Later that same day, Mumbai Police arrested the real suspect—Shariful Islam Shehzad, an alleged Bangladeshi national—in Thane. Kanojia was released the next morning, on January 19, but the damage to his reputation was already done.
Fearing further harassment, he requested police to accompany him back to Mumbai, but they refused. When he finally contacted his mother, she was distressed after seeing his face plastered across news channels. His employer also dismissed him outright, unwilling to hear his side of the story.
ALSO READ: Saif Ali Khan Attack: Fingerprint Mismatch – Wrong Man Arrested?
“If this wasn’t enough, my grandmother called to inform me that the bride’s family had refused to proceed with the marriage after seeing my name in the news. I don’t know if I will ever be able to get married now,” he lamented.
A Family’s Struggles Worsen
Kanojia’s wrongful detention has compounded the hardships his family has faced. His brother passed away after prolonged illness, forcing them to sell their home in Virar. His father’s garage in Colaba also shut down after being cheated out of ₹9 lakh by a fraudster who later fled the country.
To make matters worse, Kanojia himself has pending legal issues, including cases related to drug possession and theft. However, he insists that he is innocent and hopes the courts will clear his name.
Seeking Justice and Removal of Photos
After this traumatic experience, Kanojia is now demanding that all images wrongly identifying him as Saif Ali Khan’s attacker be removed from the internet. He has sought legal help, though affording legal fees remains a challenge.
“The police overlooked a basic fact—the attacker in the CCTV footage did not have a mustache, while I do,” he pointed out, questioning the lack of due diligence in his wrongful detention.
As he fights to reclaim his dignity, Kanojia’s case raises serious concerns about the consequences of hasty police actions and the lasting impact of false accusations.
