Days after Mr. Sengar was expelled from the BJP, party MLA from Bilgram Mallanwan Ashish Kumar Singh ‘Ashu’ was caught on camera expressing hope that Mr. Sengar comes out of jail soon.

A BJP legislator has sympathised with MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused of raping a minor girl and killing her two aunts, and expressed his “best wishes” for him to overcome his “difficult times”.

The BJP, however, distanced itself from the comments, saying the statements could the personal view of Bilgram Mallanwan MLA Ashish Kumar Singh ‘Ashu’.

Days after Mr. Sengar, a four-time legislator, was expelled from the Bharatiya Janata Party, Mr. Singh was caught on camera, hoping Mr. Sengar comes out of jail soon. A video clip of him making the remarks has surfaced online. “Our brother Kuldeep Singh could not be here among us today as he is going through difficult times. Our best wishes are with him. We hope that he will overcome the bad times, fight through it and come out of it and be with all of you to lead you,” Mr. Singh is heard saying in the video made at a panchayat meeting in Unnao on August 2. “Wherever we are, our best wishes are with him,” he added.

But BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi told PTI, “So far as the BJP is concerned, whatever disciplinary action (the party) had to take, has been taken. Mr. Sengar has been expelled. Unless one is proved guilty, one is innocent in the eyes of the law. May be the MLA (Mr. Singh) spoke on these lines.”