Black buck poaching case: Salman Khan records statement, denies poaching endangered species

Salman Khan appeared in a Jodhpur court today to record his statement in one of the cases in connection with the 1998 black buck poaching case. The incident had allegedly occurred during the shooting of Hum Saath-Saath Hain (1999). The actor vehemently denied that he poached any black bucks.

After recording his statement, Salman's lawyer told journalists that the actor was asked around 65 questions by the judge, but he has categorically denied shooting any black buck. Salman stated that he was innocent.  

"I do not know. I was not there. The case is cooked-up," Khan is said to have replied when he was asked who was driving the jeep. The actor stated that he was falsely implicated by the forest department."

"Salman Khan said he's innocent. He answered all questions that were to put to him by the judge. He's been falsely implicated in this case. Salman Khan didn't leave his hotel room," said Salman's lawyer. 

As per reports, there were 28 witnesses who had deposed before the court. Most of the witnesses were members of the Bishnoi community, who had chased the actor after he allegedly fled from the scene after shooting the endangered deers. 

Apart from Salman, his co-actors Saif Ali Khan, Tabu, Neelam Kothari and Sonali Bendre, also recorded their statements in the Jodhpur court. 

Salman was earlier acquitted in the Arms Act case pertaining to the poaching of endangered deer, with the Rajasthan high court quashing all poaching cases against him in July last year. In October, the Rajasthan government moved the Supreme Court against the acquittal.