Akash Kanojia, a 31-year-old driver, says his life is in ruins after being wrongly detained in connection to the Saif Ali Khan attack earlier this month. Kanojia was detained on January 18 at Durg station in Chhattisgarh but later released after the actual suspect, a Bangladeshi national, was arrested.
The incident began when Kanojia was traveling to meet his prospective bride. He was stopped by the Railway Protection Force following a tip-off from the Mumbai Police. After hours of questioning and detention, he was eventually let go, but not before significant damage was done to his life.
Saif Ali Khan, 54, was allegedly attacked by an intruder during a robbery at his Bandra home on January 16. The actor received multiple stab wounds, underwent surgery, and has since been discharged. Meanwhile, the media named Kanojia as a suspect, further complicating his life.
Kanojia claims the police ignored key details, like the fact that the man in the CCTV footage didn’t have a moustache, while he does. Following the false allegations, his employer fired him, and his prospective bride’s family called off their plans.
He also revealed his family’s tough circumstances, including selling their house to pay for his late brother’s medical treatment. Kanojia says he now plans to stand outside Saif Ali Khan’s building and ask for a job because “I lost everything” after being wrongly accused.
The driver believes divine intervention led to the real suspect being caught quickly, saving him from further injustice. However, he is now demanding justice for the upheaval caused in his life. “One mistake of the police ruined everything,” he said.