Police in the Indian city of Mumbai have arrested a man in connection with a stabbing attack on Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan last week.
Khan, one of India’s biggest stars, was stabbed by an intruder at his home in an attack that shocked the country. He is recovering after an operation.
On Sunday, police said they had arrested the main suspect, Mohammad Shariful Islam Shehzad, adding that he was a Bangladeshi citizen who was staying in India illegally.
Mr. Shehzad’s lawyer has denied the allegations and says he is not from Bangladesh.
Police say they arrested Mr. Shehzad from Thane, a suburban area of Mumbai.
Preliminary evidence suggests he arrived in the city about six months ago and was working at a housekeeping agency using a fake name and ID, said Dixit Gedam, deputy commissioner of the Mumbai police, during a press conference.
Police suspect Mr Shehzad may have broken into Khan’s home with the intention of robbing him, Mr Gedam said.
On Sunday, a Mumbai court remanded Mr. Shehzad to police custody for five days.
His lawyer, Sandeep Shikhane, told reporters that his client had become a “scapegoat”.
“There is no documentary evidence to suggest that he is a Bangladeshi citizen,” he said.
The attack on Khan made national headlines and also raised questions about safety and security in Mumbai, one of India’s most populous cities and its financial capital.
Khan was stabbed six times and suffered several injuries, including one to the back of his neck, during the attack on his home in an upscale neighborhood.
A nurse, Eliyama Philip, who works at Khan’s home, told police last week that she first noticed the shadow of a man near the toilet door late at night, while She was in the child’s room with the nanny.
Ms Philip said a man appeared holding a wooden object in one hand and a long blade in the other and warned them not to make any noise. He demanded 10 million rupees ($115,477; £94,511), she said.
A fight broke out, during which Ms Philip was injured. She also said that upon hearing the commotion, Khan and his wife rushed into the room and the attacker hit the actor with a blade before fleeing.
On Friday, investigators reportedly arrested – then released – at least five other people for questioning as part of the investigation.
Many men were arrested because they resembled the attacker, who was caught on CCTV as he left the building.
Additional reporting by Alpesh Karkare for BBC Marathi
