Jodhpur: Actor Salman Khan,who appeared before a Jodhpur trial court to record his statement in connection with the 17 year old arms act case, has said that he is innocent and has been falsely implicated.
"I am innocent and have been framed by the forest officials," Khan said before the chief judicial magistrate.
Referring to a statement signed by him in which a witness Uday Raghvan had stated that he had brought the arms from Mumbai following directions from Khan, the actor claimed that he had signed the statement under pressure from forest officials.
Additional Public Prosecutor Dinesh Tiwari said that the court has given Khan a chance to produce witnesses or evidence in support of his defence.
"If he does so, they will be examined in the court otherwise, the case will be listed for final arguments," said Tiwari.
In his statement, the 50-year-old actor refuted the allegations of two other witnesses, Shiv Charan Bohra, a forest official, and Pandat Vijay Narayan, Mumbai police Inspector).
Salman Khan had earlier argued in court that he had applied for a renewal of license for the weapons soon after it expired and hence was not using them illegally.
This is the third time that Salman has appeared in the Jodhpur court for the same case.
Meanwhile, Salman's lawyer has also requested for more time to produce witnesses.
Last year, when Salman was asked about his caste, he said that he was both "Hindu-Muslim". When asked to explain, Salman said: "My mother is a Hindu and my father is a Muslim."
The case under Arms Act was registered after the weapons, allegedly used by him for hunting down two blackbucks in 1998, had their licences expired. While a case against him for poaching a blackbuck near Jodhpur's Kankani is still underway, the forest department filed a separate case under the Arms Act.
Other than Salman khan Tabbu, Neelam and Sonali Bendre were also charged in this case. Salman Khan is charged for keeping illegal weapons in. this case.
The next date of hearing in the case is on April 4.
