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<\/p>\nThe crisis for the SNP has escalated even further, as Scotland’s chief constable has confirmed that the police investigation into the party’s finances has been expanded.<\/p>\n
The scope of the investigation will now include allegations of “misuse of funds” and “potential embezzlement”, Sir Iain Livingstone confirmed.<\/p>\n
Operation Branchform was initially a fraud investigation.<\/p>\n
Police Scotland is investigating whether \u00a3660,000 raised by the SNP for a second independence referendum was spent on other things.<\/p>\n
Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Sir Iain said: “It\u2019s moved beyond what some of the initial reports were.”<\/p>\n
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When asked why the investigation has taken more than two years, Sir Iain explained: “Investigations into the finances of an organisation, the finances of an individual, are often complex.<\/p>\n
“Investigations around fraud or investigations around potential embezzlement or investigations around the misuse of funds take time.<\/p>\n
“You need to go and obtain information from banks and other financial institutions.<\/p>\n
“We can\u2019t just do that automatically.”<\/p>\n
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He added: “We need to go and seek judicial warrants for that. There needs to be a process around that. So the time that\u2019s been taken, in my judgment, is absolutely necessary. There\u2019s been a prudent, thorough and proportionate investigation carried out.”<\/p>\n
When asked whether he felt it was proportionate to put a police tent on former SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon’s front lawn, Sir Iain told the BBC it was “proportionate and necessary”.<\/p>\n
He said: “It absolutely was given the circumstances of that search.”<\/p>\n
“The tent was there, as well as all the other measures, to protect the interests of justice and to protect the individuals involved.<\/p>\n
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“So it was a proportionate and necessary step.”<\/p>\n
Ms Sturgeon and her husband Peter Murrell, the former SNP chief executive, have both been arrested and released without charge int he investigation.<\/p>\n
The party’s former Treasurer Colin Beattie has also been arrested and released without charge.<\/p>\n