Bhajan Singh Rana, the auto driver who rushed Saif Ali Khan to the hospital, shared his experience of meeting the actor and receiving appreciation from him. Despite growing calls for a reward, Rana has expressed that he does not expect any cash compensation.
Bhajan Singh Rana on getting reward from Saif Ali Khan
Rana, who took Saif Ali Khan to Lilavati Hospital last week after the actor was stabbed at his home, spoke about meeting Saif and his family at the hospital. Saif, who sustained six injuries, underwent surgery to fix a leaking spinal fluid and remove a knife fragment near his spine. After five days at the hospital, Saif was discharged on Monday and returned home.
In a recent interview with Instant Bollywood, the auto driver was asked if he would accept a new rickshaw from Saif Ali Khan as a gift.
“Maang toh nhi raha magar agar unki ichcha hogi aur dena chahenge toh le lunga. Maine kabhi nhi kaha ki maine jo kiya hai uske liye mujhey kuch mile ya mai uss cheez k liye laalach kar raha hu.” ("I'm not asking for it, but if he chooses to gift it, I would gladly accept. I never claimed that I deserve any reward for what I did, nor am I doing this out of greed."), Rana said.
In an interview with PTI, Rana revealed that Saif Ali Khan expressed his gratitude for the timely help and offered financial support. While reports suggest that Rana, originally from Uttarakhand, might have received around Rs 50,000, he chose not to confirm the figure, keeping a promise he made to Khan.
“I have promised to him (Saif) and I will stick to it. Let people speculate about it,” Rana stated firmly when questioned about the amount. “Let people say that he (Saif) gave me Rs 50,000 or Rs 1,00,000, but I would not like to reveal the amount. He has requested me not to share this information and I’ll keep my promise to him, whatever it is, it is between him and me,” said Rana.
Saif Ali Khan discharged from hospital after knife attack
Just before Saif Ali Khan’s discharge on Tuesday evening, Rana had the chance to meet the actor and his family. He showed his respect by touching the feet of Khan’s mother, veteran actress Sharmila Tagore. Rana shared that the family treated him with warmth, and they even took photos together.
“I met him (Saif) yesterday (Tuesday) at the hospital. He called to thank me for taking him to the hospital. He praised me. I got the blessings from him and his family. He (Khan) introduced me to his mother (Sharmila Tagore), and I touched her feet. He gave me (money) whatever he felt was right, and said whenever I need help he will be there,” he said.
The Mumbai Police arrested the suspect in Saif Ali Khan’s stabbing case on Sunday, and he is now in custody.