PET quizzes Tulip over £4b scam in RNPP deal
UK City Minister Tulip Siddiq has faced questioning by the Cabinet Office’s Propriety and Ethics Team (PET) regarding allegations that she facilitated the embezzlement of up to £3.9 billion from Bangladesh’s Rooppur nuclear energy project.
The allegations implicate Tulip, Labour MP for Hampstead and Highgate, in assisting her aunt, Sheikh Hasina, the recently ousted Prime Minister of Bangladesh, in brokering a potentially corrupt deal with Russia for the power plant. The accusations have sparked political intrigue, given Siddiq's prominent role as a close ally of Sir Keir Starmer and her position as Economic Secretary to the Treasury.
On Thursday, Tulip, granddaughter of Bangladesh’s founding President Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, met with a PET representative at her office to address the allegations concerning the £10 billion Rooppur project. While she denied any wrongdoing, her explanation of the Russia deal was reportedly accepted at face value. The meeting does not indicate an ongoing civil service investigation.
A Cabinet Office spokesperson stated: “As previously mentioned, the minister has denied any involvement.” Tulip herself was unavailable for comment.
The controversy dates back to a 2013 deal between Bangladesh and Russia, where large sums of money were allegedly embezzled. Tulip is accused of coordinating meetings between Bangladeshi and Russian officials and posing for a photograph with President Vladimir Putin and Sheikh Hasina during the signing ceremony.
Sources close to Tulip dismissed the allegations as “politically motivated” and “trumped-up charges.” She reportedly echoed these sentiments during her discussion with the PET official, describing the accusations as a “political hit job.”
In her defence, Tulip explained that her visit to Moscow over a decade ago was for personal reasons, as it was more convenient to travel there to meet her aunt than to Bangladesh.
The Daily Mail has added to the controversy by raising fresh questions about a $1 billion arms deal signed at the same 2013 meeting. The deal reportedly involved a loan for Bangladesh to purchase Russian weapons and military equipment.
At the time, Tulip was a Labour councillor and did not become an MP until 2015. A Labour Party spokesperson told the Daily Mail: “The dealings of two countries two years before Tulip became an MP have absolutely nothing to do with her.”
As Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Tulip is tasked with tackling corruption in the UK’s financial markets. The allegations, even if unproven, could pose challenges for her political career, given her prominent role in the Labour Party and her high-profile position within government.
For now, Tulip’s supporters continue to argue that the accusations are part of a broader politically motivated campaign against her. Whether the allegations gain further traction remains to be seen.
Source: The Times
