In a shockingly insensitive comment, Samajwadi Party leader Azam Khan on Monday said the brutal gangrape of a mother-daughter duo in Bulandshahr could be a political conspiracy. He said the elections are near and a desperate opposition can stoop to any level to defame the government.

"We must also probe whether this entire controversy is a move by some Opposition elements to defame the government. People who want to come to power may be stooping this low for political interests," the minister said.

The Samajwadi Party government is already facing flak from opposition parties over the "deteriorating" law and order in the state where Assembly polls are barely a few months away.

Governor Ram Naik voiced his anguish over the incident and asked the state government and the police to take immediate steps to ensure that such cases did not recur.

"The state government and the police need to follow their duties in ensuring that such incidents do not take place in the state," he said. This is not the first incident. Cases like these have been taking place at different places. There is a need to work to ensure safety to all," Naik said.

On Friday night, a group of bandits had waylaid a family travelling from Noida to Shahjahanpur by car, dragged the woman and her 13-year-old daughter out of the vehicle to a field, and raped them while the men were tied with ropes.

Three accused in the case were on Monday sent to judicial custody. Uttar Pradesh Police had on Sunday arrested the three accused -- Naresh (25), Bablu (22) and Rais (28) -- and detained a dozen others after launching a massive hunt for a gang of dacoits suspected to be behind the highway crime.