New Delhi, Dec 19 (IANS): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday said the circumstances surrounding the criminal case against Indian diplomat Devyani Khobragade were suspicious and the issue impinged upon the sovereignty of India.

"Devyani Khobragade represents the image of sovereign India. She has been ill-treated and the treatment has not been denied," said BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad.

"The larger issue is the way that maid's family was made to flee to the US upon a visa quickly given and then she is seeking shelter as person under harassment," he said, adding: "All this ultimately leads to a situation in which lot of suspicious circumstances are there."

India has expressed outrage over the strip and cavity-search of Khobragade, who has been charged with visa fraud and underpaying her housemaid.

The issue figured in parliament with MPs, cutting across party lines, condemning the treatment meted out to the diplomat. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh termed the incident "deplorable".

Khobragade has been transferred to India's Permanent Mission at the UN in New York, which would provide her with more diplomatic immunity.