Ex-Rangers director Ahmad refuses to return to UK

Former Rangers director Imran Ahmad will not cooperate with the police investigation Picture: SNS

The police are looking to talk to Mr Ahmad in connection with the ongoing inquiry into the sale of the club’s assets during Green’s takeover of the Glasgow club.

Mr Ahmad, commercial director at Ibrox during Green’s reign at the club, said in an email to the BBC that Rangers was a club “built on centuries of religious bigotry” and that he has “grave concerns about a defendant in this case being able to receive a fair trial anywhere in Scotland”.

He also described Rangers fans as “a tribe” and accused Police Scotland of being “deeply rooted and immersed in Rangers Football Club’s history”. Mr Ahmad said in his email: “I was promised a letter by the Crown...by close of business 4 September 2015 which would also confirm that I would not be arrested at UK border control or by Police Scotland and could attend court on the 29 September 2015 to answer the warrant petition which I wanted to fully cooperate with.”

Mr Ahmad continued: “A few days ago, the Crown reneged on their promise to provide me with a safe passage letter.

“My legal team and I have grave concerns about a defendant in this case being able to receive a fair trial anywhere in Scotland let alone Glasgow.

“Every social media site in Scotland has presumed all the defendants to be guilty before a trial has even taken place or for that matter before individuals have even been indicted.”

Mr Ahmad said that he had recently “received death threats by phone and online”.

He described Rangers fans as “a tribe”, adding: “What the rest of the world will never understand unless they experience it first hand is that Rangers Football Club is a religion, in itself, built on centuries of religious bigotry.”

The former director also accused Police Scotland of being “an establishment institution which itself is deeply rooted and immersed in Rangers Football Club’s history for well over 140 years”.

Mr Ahmad said: “I firmly believe Police Scotland have their own agenda and are deeply emotionally connected to Rangers Football Club. In my view Police Scotland have a clear conflict of interest.”

He added: “I have decided not to attend the Crown’s ‘invite’ warrant on the 29 September 2015 and will remain overseas until the trial is over when I will return to the UK.”