Scotland's former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested on Sunday as part of a police probe into political funding, her team confirmed.
"Nicola Sturgeon has today, Sunday 11th June, by arrangement with Police Scotland, attended an interview where she was to be arrested and questioned in relation to Operation Branchform," a spokesperson for Sturgeon said, referring to the existing investigation into SNP party finances.
"Nicola has consistently said she would cooperate with the investigation if asked and continues to do so."
United Kingdom police do not name suspects until they have been charged, but authorities confirmed they had detained a 52-year-old woman as part of an investigation into the funding of the Scottish National Party (SNP), which Sturgeon led from 2014 until she stepped down in March this year.
"The woman is in custody and is being questioned by Police Scotland detectives," Police Scotland said in a statement.
Police Scotland had been investigating how $745,000 designated for a Scottish independence campaign had been spent.
SNP treasurer Colin Beattie and executive director Peter Murrell — who is also Sturgeon's husband — were arrested in April as part of the investigation.
Murrell also failed to declare a personal loan to the party of more than £100,000.
Beattie and Murrell were later released without charge, pending further investigation.
But the scandal plunged the SNP into a deep crisis and further dampened its prospects of achieving an independent Scotland.