Police Scotland sends SNP embezzlement report to prosecutors in ongoing Operation Branchform inquiry
- Police Scotland has sent a report on SNP embezzlement to prosecutors as part of the ongoing Operation Branchform inquiry.
- The long-running investigation into SNP finances, dubbed Operation Branchform, started in July 2021.
- Authorities are taking further steps in the case, potentially leading to legal actions against individuals involved.
Police Scotland sent a report to the country's prosecution service about Peter Murrell. He used to be the SNP chief and is accused of taking party money. The police said this on Thursday. They sent a report to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service (COPFS). Peter Murrell, who is 59 years old, is married to Nicola Sturgeon, Scotland's former first minister. He got arrested again last month for taking SNP funds. The police are looking into the party's money and how it's managed. COPFS will decide if there is enough proof to charge Peter Murrell and if it's right to do so for the public good. Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell have not been charged with anything yet. The investigation is still going on, said a COPFS spokesperson. Nicola Sturgeon said she didn't do anything wrong when she got arrested in June 2023. When Peter Murrell was first arrested in April 2023, the police searched his home with Nicola Sturgeon. The COPFS spokesperson mentioned that professional prosecutors will check the report. They will see if there is enough proof before deciding what to do next. They might ask the police to look into things more before making a decision. Operation Branchform is the police's investigation into the SNP's money and how it's managed. BBC Scotland's David Cowan explains the latest news about the case. The police sent a report to Scotland's prosecution service about what they found.