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LONDON, June 11 (PTI) – Former Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon was arrested on Sunday in connection with an ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the pro-independence Scottish National Party.
Police confirmed a 52-year-old woman was detained “as a suspect” and was being questioned by detectives.
The developments follow the April arrest and subsequent release of her husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell.
A spokeswoman for Sturgeon confirmed she was approached by police on Sunday.
The former SNP leader stepped down in March and was subsequently arrested and questioned by officials who have spent the past two years investigating the whereabouts of more than £600,000 ($745,000) in donations to the party from independent activists.
The spokeswoman said: “Nicola Sturgeon attended an interview today, Sunday 11 June, as arranged by Police Scotland, and she will be arrested and questioned in connection with Operation Branchform.
“Nicola has always said that if asked to cooperate, she would cooperate with the investigation and will continue to do so.”
Police raided Sturgeon’s home and the SNP’s Edinburgh headquarters on April 5 and arrested Murrell, who was later acquitted during further investigations.
A luxury caravan, priced at around £110,000, was also seized by police from outside the Dunfermline home of Murrell’s mother.
Nearly two weeks later, SNP treasurer Colin Beatty was also arrested and acquitted pending further investigations.
Beatty resigned as party treasurer shortly after.
Sturgeon, Murrell and Beattie are the three signatories to the SNP account.
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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