Political reporter
PA MediaBangladeshi authorities have issued an arrest warrant for the British MP and former Labour minister Tulip Siddiq.
The nation’s Anti-Corruption Fee (ACC) has been investigating allegations Siddiq illegally acquired land as a part of its wider probe of the regime of her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was deposed as prime minister in August.
The Hampstead and Highgate MP, who give up as financial secretary to the Treasury in January, was named within the arrest warrant alongside greater than 50 others.
Legal professionals performing for Siddiq denied the costs, which they mentioned have been “politically motivated”.
The ACC had not offered any proof or knowledgeable Siddiq about an arrest warrant, the attorneys added.
The UK lists Bangladesh as a 2B extradition nation – that means clear proof should be offered earlier than ministers and judges decide.
The ACC is analyzing claims Sheikh Hasina and her household embezzled as much as £3.9bn from infrastructure spending in Bangladesh.
The investigation is predicated on a sequence of allegations made by Bobby Hajjaj, a political opponent of Hasina.
Court docket paperwork seen by the BBC present Hajjaj has accused Siddiq of serving to to dealer a cope with Russia in 2013 that overinflated the worth of a brand new nuclear energy plant in Bangladesh.
In an announcement seen by the BBC, Siddiq’s attorneys Stephenson Harwood mentioned: “The allegations are fully false and have been handled in writing by Siddiq’s attorneys.
“The ACC has not responded to Siddiq or put any allegations to her immediately or by way of her attorneys.
“Siddiq is aware of nothing a couple of listening to in Dhaka referring to her and he or she has no data of any arrest warrant that’s mentioned to have been issued.
“To be clear, there is no such thing as a foundation in any respect for any expenses to be made in opposition to her, and there may be completely no reality in any allegation that she acquired a plot of land in Dhaka by way of unlawful means.
“She has by no means had a plot of land in Bangladesh, and he or she has by no means influenced any allocation of plots of land to her members of the family or anybody else.
“No proof has been supplied by the ACC to help this or every other allegation made in opposition to Siddiq, and it’s clear to us that the costs are politically motivated.”
Earlier than resigning, Siddiq had referred herself to the PM’s ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus when the corruption allegations first surfaced.
Sir Laurie mentioned in his report that he had “not recognized proof of improprieties”.
However he added it was “regrettable” that Siddiq had not been extra alert to the “potential reputational dangers” of the ties to her aunt Sheikh Hasina, the deposed prime minister of Bangladesh and chief of Awami League social gathering.
ACC chairman Mohammad Abdul Momen has previously told the BBC the allegations “are by no means ‘targeted and baseless'” and its investigation was “primarily based on documentary proof of corruption”.
“Tulip Siddiq should not draw back from the courtroom proceedings in Bangladesh.
“I might welcome Siddiq come and defend her case and with the very best authorized help accompanying her,” he added.
He additionally rejected her lawyer’s claims that the ACC was interfering in UK politics, including: “ACC briefing to the media is a daily phenomenon, it’s delivered professionally and with all accuracy.”
A Conservative Social gathering spokesman mentioned: “If it’s the case that Keir Starmer’s selection for anti-corruption minister is the topic of a global arrest warrant for corruption, she ought to instantly stand down as Labour MP.
“It’s stunning that Keir Starmer believes ‘the door stays open’ for Ms Siddiq returning to a authorities place.”
The prime minister left open the potential of Siddiq returning to authorities sooner or later in his letter accepting her resignation as a minister in January.
