District and Sessions Court judge Dwarka Narayan Joshi rejected Khan's bail application while granting bail to actor and co-accused Saif Khan. The two were booked along with actresses Tabu, Sonali Bendre and Neelam Kothari and had obtained interim bail until today. Khan has appealed the order in the High Court.

Khan has been charged with the killing of two black bucks and a ``chinkara'' (Indian gazelle) on the night of September 27-28. Another allegation is that the black bucks' post-mortem report was fudged. The vet, accused of this, is absconding. Police sources said they have also questioned the hotel cook who allegedly prepared the venison.

Instead of fans, the actors today were greeted by a crowd of angry local residents, Vishnois, who treat animals with great respect. Local BJPMLA Suryakanta Vyas and former Congress MLA Ram Narain Vishnoi, demonstrated near the collectorate, demanding stringent action against the actors.

Chief Minister Bhairon Singh Shekhawat had sent a high-level team including I-G (Crime) N M Meena, Chief Wildlife Officer R G Soni, DIG Sudhir Pratap Singh and ballistic and forensic experts to Jodhpur yesterday to handle the case.

Additional Advocate General K L Jasmatia opposed the bail plea while the filmstars were represented by senior lawyer Jagdeep Dhankar. When Khan's bail plea was rejected, the police, Dhankar said, went to the hotel and arrested the actor this afternoon.

Dhankar has moved an application in the Rajasthan High Court but the court has listed it for tomorrow. Speaking to The Indian Express over the phone, Dhankar said by the time the case comes up, Khan would be produced before a magistrate. He said he had offered to turn in the actors' four licenced weapons to the police.

There is a lot of public resentment against thekillings. Gudha Vishnoi, where the black bucks were allegedly shot, is the native village of Minister of State for Forests Jaswant Singh Vishnoi. It is adjacent to the Khejarli village, where according to legend, 363 Vishnois, led by one Amrita Devi, sacrificed their lives in 1787 to protest against the felling of trees. Minister Vishnoi told The Indian Express: ``We will not let these actors get away with the slaughter of our animals, no matter what happens.''