The UK's National Crime Agency (NCA) is investigating former City Minister Tulip Siddique for corruption, British authorities said after a secret meeting with Bangladesh's Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) in Dhaka, the Daily Mail reported.
Tulip and his family are accused of embezzling £3.9 billion through the Rooppur nuclear power plant deal. 90 percent of the project was financed by the Kremlin, and the Russian company Rosatom is in charge. Tulip is also accused of receiving a free flat in London from a Bangladeshi businessman.
If the corruption charges against Tulip are proven, he could face up to 10 years in prison. According to Britain's Bribery Act 2010, anyone who accepts a bribe abroad can be prosecuted in Britain and sentenced to up to 10 years in prison.
NCA officials have offered to assist the Bangladesh government so that legal action can be taken against Tulip Siddique under international agreements.
Sources claim that the NCA may collect information not only for Bangladesh, but also for the case against Tulip Siddique in the UK.
This is the NCA's second visit to Bangladesh. During its first visit in October last year, the agency offered to help the interim government investigate corruption. It is alleged that members of Sheikh Hasina's cabinet laundered about 13 billion pounds abroad every year. Tulip Siddique resigned from her Labour Party post last month, believed to be due to the ongoing investigation against her.
The ACC is conducting at least two other criminal investigations against Tulip Siddique and her family, but she has denied these allegations.
The Labour Party said, "No evidence has been presented to support this allegation. Tulip Siddique has not been contacted about this and she completely denies these allegations."
A Labour Party source said he had not yet been contacted by the NCA or the Bangladeshi authorities. The NCA and the British Home Office declined to comment.
