A millionaire SNP donor has been charged by police after allegedly assaulting a Labour- supporting pensioner at a wedding attended by Nicola Sturgeon.
Mohammad Ramzan, founder and chairman of United Wholesale Grocers in Glasgow, is now the subject of a report to the Crown Office.
Mr Ramzan is the brother of former Labour MP Mohammad Sarwar and the uncle of Anas Sarwar, the former Labour MP now standing for Holyrood.
The report follows an alleged altercation at a wedding reception in Erskine in February, at which former businessman Adil Bhatti was reportedly punched in front of other guests.
The First Minister, who arrived after the alleged incident, attended as the groom was the son of a former SNP councillor in her Glasgow Southside constituency.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: “We can confirm that a 58-year-old man was charged in connection with an alleged assault following an incident which is alleged to have taken place on February 26 2016 in the Erskine area. A report was submitted to the procurator fiscal.”
A former Labour donor, Mr Ramzan made a high-profile switch to the SNP in 2012, which was welcomed by Ms Sturgeon as “another sign of the growing support for the SNP in Glasgow”.
He subsequently gave £33,000 to the Yes Scotland campaign during the independence referendum, and in last year’s General Election he gave almost £1,000 worth of support to the SNP candidate trying to unseat his nephew in Glasgow Central.
Mr Ramzan gave Alison Thewliss, who is now the new MP for the constituency, a £500 cheque and a banner worth £400 in the run-up to polling day.
Government records show he had a formal meeting with Ms Sturgeon in August.
Mr Ramzan recently donated £250 to the SNP’s Glasgow Cathcart candidate James Dornan.
Mr Bhatti, 69, a past convener of the Scots Asians for Independence and former ally of Ms Sturgeon, quit the SNP in 2012 over the party’s decision to support membership of Nato.
A former Labour member before joining the SNP, he then rejoined the Labour Party.
Mr Dornan said he was unaware of the assault allegation when he accepted the donation.
Asked if he would be returning the money, he said: “Let’s just see what happens.”
Mr Ramzan’s spokesman said: “Mr Ramzan is currently out with the country on an extended business trip to Pakistan. He vehemently denies any charges and will prove his innocence through the Scottish judicial process.”
A Crown Office said the case remained under consideration.
A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said it would be inappropriate to comment.
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