Jaipur, Jan. 27: Actor Salman Khan today alleged he had been falsely implicated by the Rajasthan forest department in the black buck case, claiming the two animals had died a natural death.

The 51-year-old actor today recorded his statements in a Jodhpur court and denied killing the endangered animals.

Salman's counsel Hastimal Saraswat said the actor told the court that the first port-mortem report had indicated the two black bucks had died a natural death. According to the report by Dr N.P. Nepalia, one of the bucks died from dog bite and the other died after falling into a deep ditch.

A medical board constituted by the forest department had overturned that report and said the black bucks had been shot dead.

Salman's co-stars Saif Ali Khan, Sonali Bendre, Tabu and Neelam also recorded their statements in the 18-year-old case.

The actors had been accused of killing the two black bucks in Kankani village near Jodhpur on the intervening night of October 1 and 2 in 1998. They were shooting for the film Hum Saath Saath Hain. The Rajasthan forest department had filed the case under Section 51 of the Wildlife Protection Act.

Denying all 28 charges that were read out to him, Salman told the court he was innocent and that he had been falsely implicated by the state forest department for free publicity, lawyer Saraswat told The Telegraph.

Saraswat said Salman had told the court that the department had come to know about the black buck deaths from a newspaper report, lodged the complaint on a back date and foisted false witnesses.

Asked what religion he belonged to, a court formality, Salman said he was "an Indian".

The other actors also denied killing the black bucks, saying none of them had stepped out of the hotel because of security concerns related to leaving the property at night.

Salman was asked 68 questions relating to the 28 charges, which included the alleged shooting at night and the finding of blood stains and black buck hair in the jeep in which the actors were allegedly travelling.

The case will be heard again on February 15.

Hundreds of fans of Salman had gathered outside the court premises to get a glimpse of the actor, who turned up in a dark blue shirt and denims.

On January 18, the same court had acquitted Salman in an Arms Act case in which he had been accused of using arms whose licences had expired.

Salman has been acquitted in three of the four cases related to the killings of black bucks and chinkaras in villages around Jodhpur.