New Delhi: Mohammad Ruhul Amin Fakir, the father of Shariful Islam, accused of attacking actor Saif Ali Khan, has revealed some shocking details about his son’s activities. In an exclusive conversation with TV9 Bharatvarsh anchor Sumaira Khan, Fakir admitted that Shariful had entered India illegally from Bangladesh in March-April 2024 and was hiding in various locations until he obtained Indian documents .
Fakir also said that his son was currently living in Mumbai, where he worked in a housekeeping agency under the alias Vijay Das. However, Fakir expressed doubts about the identity of the person in the video footage from Saif Ali Khan’s house, suggesting that it may not be his son Shariful. He has appealed to the police to investigate this matter further.
Here is the full conversation
TV9: When did you last speak to Shariful?
Ruhul Amin: Shariful is my second son.
TV9 : Who else is there in your family?
Ruhul Amin: We live in the village. With family. I live in Jhalakathi, Bangladesh.
TV9 : When did you last speak to Shariful?
Ruhul Amin: The conversation took place last Friday.
TV9 : At what time did the conversation take place?
Ruhul Amin: 5 and 6 PM Friday, last Friday.
TV9 : He said something… Shariful, what happened?
Ruhul Amin: He used to send salary every month. He used to get salary on 10th after 10th. He used to send salary between 10th and 15th. He used to send salary every month. Sometimes he used to contact me suddenly and we used to talk to him to ask how he was. After that, where he used to work, his boss used to give a presentation. He had received a gift. He used to give gifts. There is a picture of the gift as well. There is a picture of the hotel and bar as well.
TV9: Did Shariful mention that he was hiding somewhere or in trouble?
Ruhul Amin: No, he didn’t say anything about having problems. He only talked about his work, saying he worked from 9 am to 6 pm and was on night duty.
TV9: The Mumbai police alleges that Shariful attacked Saif with a knife. There’s also a case registered against him in Bangladesh for assault. What can you tell us about his behavior in Bangladesh?
Ruhul Amin: That’s not true. He’s a responsible person who even has a motorcycle driving license. I can send you the documents if you need them.
TV9: But the police claim that there’s a case against him in Bangladesh.
Ruhul Amin: That’s incorrect. There’s no criminal case or assault charge against him in Bangladesh.
Ruhul Amin then shared his personal background, stating:
“I was born on May 10, 1967, and I’m 57 years old. I used to work at the People’s Jute Mill Limited in Khulna, which closed in 2007 during the Fakruddin and Makruddin government. After that, my family and I moved to a village. I was also involved with the BNP political party in Bangladesh, which was the opposition party during Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule. We faced a lot of torture during that time. In March 2024, many of us, including ministers and MPs from the opposition party, had false cases filed against us. People were forced to live in hiding. When Sheikh Hasina lost power this year, we thought it was time for a change. That’s when our son decided to leave the country.”
TV9: Did Shariful have a passport?
Ruhul Amin: No, he didn’t have a passport. When Sheikh Hasina came to power, we were taken aback. Many false cases were filed against people, including theft and murder cases. Even the State Minister of Education of Bangladesh faced a mobile theft case. This was the political culture in Bangladesh, which is rare worldwide. My son went to India in March or April 2024 without documents, aiming to obtain papers while living there.
TV9: Did he call you and ask how you were?
Ruhul Amin: Yes, he would say that everything was fine. You can verify this by checking the video of his employer or his driving license and presentation. If he was stressed, his employer wouldn’t have given him gifts.
TV9: How long have you been living in Mumbai?
Ruhul Amin: It’s been a few months. I arrived in March or April 2024. Since I didn’t have proper documents, I worked secretly for my employer.
TV9: Are you aware of Shariful’s arrest?
Ruhul Amin: I saw it on TV and Facebook. Everyone in the area is talking about it. I don’t have a smartphone. I use a basic phone. This is my wife’s mobile number.
TV9: Did he mention anything about Saif?
Ruhul Amin: No, I didn’t receive any information about the attack. If I speak now, I can provide documents about the vehicle and places he worked. Interrogate him and he’ll be able to tell you where he worked. People will know where he worked. Since we live in Bangladesh, we can’t provide more information.
TV9: Did Shariful tell you that he knew someone in Mumbai?
Ruhul Amin: I used to work as a gardener in a hotel there.
TV9: Have you seen the video showing a boy who went to Saif’s house and attacked? Do you think he is Shariful?
Ruhul Amin: No, my son has short hair. A media photo was shown. After seeing that photo and the arrest photo and video footage, I can say that the boy in the video has hair covering his eyes, but my son does not keep his hair like that.
TV9: Did Shariful participate in wrestling?
Ruhul Amin: No, he never participated in wrestling competitions. Here, we have cricket and football; those are the sports he was involved in. I don’t have any other information. You should investigate further. The boy in the video footage has long hair covering his eyes, which is not how my son wears his hair.
TV9: Is the person seen in the video Shariful?
Ruhul Amin: I have seen the Shariful who has been arrested, and that Shariful is my son. However, the Shariful in the video footage has long hair, which makes me question whether it’s really him. India is a vast country and Bangladesh is small. It’s possible that there’s someone who resembles my son.
TV9: Do you want to say something to the Mumbai Police or on behalf of Shariful?
Ruhul Amin: The Mumbai police have arrested him, but anyone can be arrested based on suspicion or video footage. It remains to be seen whether he is actually involved or not.
