Senior Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav on Tuesday defended rape-accused former Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, claiming he was innocent and jailed based on a “bogus” lawsuit. After visiting Prajapati at the Lucknow District Jail, Yadav said he was being treated like a “terrorist” in prison.

“The police have no proof against Prajapati,” he said. “The BJP government has a political vendetta. I will meet the prime minister, and if needed, the president as well, to apprise them of the matter.”

Prajapati was arrested on March 15 for allegedly raping a 35-year-old woman and molesting her minor daughter in 2014. Before his arrest, the Samajwadi Party leader had been absconding for a while after the Supreme Court had directed an FIR against him on February 17. He had alleged a conspiracy against him and been granted bail, but the Allahabad High Court had stayed his relief order, after which he was sent back to jail.

Yadav has questioned the allegations of rape against the former minister. “How can the woman get raped when she didn’t even go to Prajapati’s house...I will meet the director general of police and complain to him in this matter,” CNN-News18 quoted him as saying.