A senior Scottish Conservative councillor has been arrested over an alleged romance fraud.

Andrew Polson, who was the co-leader of East Dunbartonshire Council until May, has been released pending further inquiries.

According to the BBC, his arrest is mentioned in court papers for a separate civil action brought by a 68-year-old woman who has accused him of “undue influence.”

The woman claims that Mr Polson persuaded her to let him manage her finances and used her money to buy property for himself.

The woman also claims they had a five-year relationship that ended in 2018 when Mr Polson was getting remarried.

She alleges he sought to rekindle their association in 2021 after she had received a large divorce settlement.

Mr Polson told the BBC he was unable to comment due to a confidentiality clause which is linked to that civil case.

He was the leader of East Dunbartonshire council until the local government elections in May and stood, unsuccessfully, as a Conservative candidate in last year's Holyrood election. 

It is understood the Bearsden South councillor had also recently thrown his hat into the ring to be the next president of COSLA. 

Mr Polson is also a director of the Christian community radio station, Revival FM.

A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: "A 49-year-old man has been arrested in connection with fraud and released pending further inquiries."