The treasurer of the Scottish National Party (SNP), Colin Beattie, was arrested on Tuesday as part of investigations into alleged fraud in the finances of the formation, which have called into question the management of the previous leadership.
The police reported the arrest of a 71-year-old man, whom the media hastened to identify as Beattie. »The man is in custody and is being questioned by detectives from Police Scotland,» reads the brief statement.
The arrest is part of an operation that earlier this month led to the arrest of Peter Murrell, a former SNP leader and husband of former chief minister Nicola Sturgeon, who resigned earlier this year. Murrell was released shortly after, with no charges pending.
The inquiries date back to July 2021, when authorities received a series of complaints regarding the management of donations. Specifically, suspicions arose around the use of more than 600,000 pounds that the party raised to promote the call for a new independence referendum.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)