Detained earlier this month in Chhattisgarh as a suspect in the Saif Ali Khan case, Akash Kanojia now finds his life turned upside down. The consequences of the police action against him have been severe—costing him both his job and a potential marriage proposal.
Despite having no involvement in the case, his photograph was widely circulated, leading to public humiliation. “Why was my photo made viral? I want justice,” he said, struggling to come to terms with the ordeal.
Akash was taken into custody by the Railway Protection Force (RPF) on January 18 while traveling on the Mumbai Lokmanya Tilak Terminus-Kolkata Shalimar Jnaneswari Express. He was detained at Durg station and released the following day. However, the damage had already been done—not just to his reputation but to his family’s peace of mind as well.
Expressing his anguish, Akash lamented how such incidents disproportionately affect people from humble backgrounds. “Whatever happened to me should not happen to anyone else. I am a poor man, and that’s why I had to go through this. If I were a VIP or a millionaire’s son, would the police have acted the same way? The fear and humiliation I felt are unbearable,” he said.
He insisted on his innocence, emphasizing how unfairly he was treated. “I was defamed for no reason. My life is at stake. I did nothing wrong, committed no crime—so why was my photo made viral? I am not capable of such acts,” he stated.
Recounting the moment of his detention, Akash recalled how RPF officers approached him with a photograph, confirming his identity before asking him to step off the train. “When I asked why, they said Mumbai Police had asked them to locate me. Since they were just doing their duty, I went with them without resistance,” he explained.
Though initially assured that no action would be taken against him, he soon found himself facing an interrogation. “They asked if I was running away. I told them, ‘Why would I run? If you think I did something wrong, call the Mumbai cops.’ When the police arrived, I was questioned, and I told them again—I had nothing to do with the crime.”
Now, left to deal with the consequences of a false association, Akash seeks justice, hoping that no one else has to endure a similar fate.
