I am Salman and I am an Indian, actor tells fans

JODHPUR: Bollywood actor Salman Khanon Thursday appeared in the court of chief judicial magistrate here and pleaded innocence in an Arms Act case against him in connection with the poaching of protected black bucks in October 1998, saying he was framed in the case by forest officials.

Khan arrived in the court of CJM Dalpat Singh Rajpurohit in the morning. "I am Salman Khan and I am an Indian, that is what I mention in my caste column," he said in his introductory formalities.

Referring to a statement signed by him in which a witness Uday Raghvan had stated that he brought the arms from Mumbai following Khan's directions, the actor claimed that he had signed the statement under pressure from forest officials.

After Salman pleaded `not guilty', the court asked him to produce evidences in support of his innocence and deferred the matter till April 4.

Additional public prosecutor Dinesh Tiwari said this was the last chance for Khan to produce the witnesses or evidences in support of his defence. Khan has been facing the Arms Act case after it was found that the licence of the arms he had carried, and allegedly used in the poaching of two black bucks in Kankani near Jodhpur, had expired.