Tulip Siddiq, a Labour MP and former minister, has spoken out against what she calls a “politically motivated smear campaign” by the Bangladeshi authorities. An arrest warrant was issued against her as part of an investigation by the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission into allegations that she illegally acquired land. This probe is part of a larger investigation into the regime of Siddiq’s aunt, Sheikh Hasina, who was removed as prime minister in August.
In response to the arrest warrant, Siddiq emphasized that the Bangladeshi authorities failed to respond to her lawyers’ inquiries. She dismissed the allegations as baseless and described them as a politically orchestrated effort to target her. Siddiq adamantly stated, “There is no evidence that I’ve done anything wrong,” and refused to engage further with what she perceives as a smear campaign.
Extradition procedures may be initiated to hand over a suspect for trial in another country after the issuance of an arrest warrant. Siddiq’s case falls under the UK’s extradition category 2B, which requires significant evidence to be presented before a decision can be made. The Prime Minister’s spokesman, Sir Keir Starmer, declined to comment on the specific case, emphasizing the importance of due process in such matters.
The allegations against Siddiq are part of a broader investigation into allegations of embezzlement by Hasina and her family in Bangladesh. These accusations were brought forward by Bobby Hajjaj, a political opponent of Hasina. Siddiq has been accused of involvement in a deal with Russia that allegedly inflated the price of a nuclear power plant project in Bangladesh. Despite these allegations, Siddiq’s lawyers assert that the claims are false and have been refuted in written responses
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More