Officers had been able to question Ms Sturgeon for a maximum of 12 hours before deciding whether to charge her with a crime or release her while they carry out further inquiries…reports Asian Lite News
Nicola Sturgeon has been released without charge pending further investigations after being arrested by police. Scotland’s former first minister was arrested in connection with the ongoing investigation into the SNP’s funding and finances at 10:09 on Sunday.
After being questioned by detectives she was released from custody at 17:24.
She has since released a statement saying “I know beyond doubt that I am innocent of any wrongdoing”.
The force has been investigating for the past two years what happened to £660,000 of donations given to the SNP by independence activists for use in a future independence referendum campaign.
Officers had been able to question Ms Sturgeon for a maximum of 12 hours before deciding whether to charge her with a crime or release her while they carry out further inquiries.
A suspect released pending further investigations can be re-arrested at a later date. Sturgeon published a statement on Twitter shortly after police confirmed her release.
She said: “To find myself in the situation I did today when I am certain I have committed no offence is both a shock and deeply distressing. I know that this ongoing investigation is difficult for people, and I am grateful that so many continue to show faith in me and appreciate that I would never do anything to harm either the SNP or the country.”
She went on: “Innocence is not just a presumption I am entitled to in law. I know beyond doubt that I am in fact innocent of any wrongdoing.” She thanked people for messages of support and also her family for “much-needed strength at this time”.
He statement ended: “While I will take a day or two to process this latest development, I intend to be back in Parliament soon where I will continue to represent my Glasgow Southside constituents to the very best of my ability.”
A police patrol at the home of Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell on Sunday – it is not known where the police questioning took place.
Sturgeon was succeeded as first minister and SNP leader in March by Humza Yousaf, who is now facing calls from opposition politicians and at least one of his own MPs – Angus MacNeil – to suspend her from the party.
MacNeil tweeted: “This soap-opera has gone far enough, Nicola Sturgeon suspended others from the SNP for an awful lot less!”
Scottish Conservatives chairman Craig Hoy also called on Mr Yousaf to “show some leadership and suspend his predecessor from the SNP”, in a statement posted on Twitter.
Sturgeon had attended a pre-arranged police interview and was arrested and questioned after she arrived. It follows the arrest of her husband, former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell, on 5 April by officers who searched the couple’s home in Glasgow as part of their Operation Branchform probe.
The SNP’s headquarters in Edinburgh were searched on the same day and a luxury motorhome valued at about £110,000 was also seized by police from outside the home of Mr Murrell’s mother in Dunfermline. Almost two weeks later, the party’s treasurer Colin Beattie was arrested.
Both men were released pending further investigations, with Mr Beattie resigning as treasurer a short time later. The arrest of the former first minister had been widely expected as she was one of the three signatories on the SNP’s accounts alongside Mr Murrell and Mr Beattie – although there was no indication of when it was going to happen.
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