Amid an outcry over the alleged Unnao rape case, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Surendra Singh said that the victim had filed a "false rape case" against a man in the past.
"I have heard that the same girl had filed a false rape case against a man some years back, because of which the man had to spend six months in jail," he told ANI.
However, Singh stated that if Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Bangarmau district in Unnao, who has been accused of raping an 18-year-old woman in 2017, was found guilty, he should be punished.
"Narcotics test should be done of Kuldeep Singh Sengar and the complainant. The truth will then be out. If the MLA is found guilty, he should be punished," he added.
On Sunday, the victim and her family members tried to commit suicide in front of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath 's residence in Lucknow, alleging that she was raped by Sengar and his fellow accomplices.
Later, the victim's father was arrested, and died in judicial custody on April 9.
On Wednesday, the BJP MLA from Bairia district came out in support of Sengar, saying that no one could rape a mother of three children.
"I am speaking from psychological point of view; no one can rape a mother of three children. It is not possible, this is a conspiracy against him (Kuldeep Singh Sengar)," he said.
On a related note, the case has been transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further examination.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)