MP Alistair Carmichael has been criticised for accepting £10,000 from an international arms dealer.
The Lib Dem chief whip’s parliamentary register of interests was updated with the money from Indian billionaire Sudhir Choudhrie earlier this month being declared.
Carmichael’s office accepted the donation despite the businessman having alleged links to Russian weapons sales.
SNP MSP Bill Kidd said: “It seems Alistair Carmichael is more than happy to let a man reported to be one of the world’s biggest
arms dealers bankroll his recent election campaign.
“If he’s really serious about cracking down on arms exports to warzones like the Ukraine, then voters will rightly ask why he’s taking handouts from a man who, reports suggest, is cashing in on the Russian arms trade.
“Alistair Carmichael won’t do himself any favours to hide from scrutiny on this issue.
“It’s time he offers a full and honest explanation for this donation.”
An investigation by the BBC’s Panorama in 2016 claimed leaked documents from the Choudhries’ Swiss bank showed the family’s
companies were paid almost £83million by Russian arms firms in one 12-month period.
The documents were reported to show that one of the Russian arms firms paying the Choudhries were manufacturers of “cruise missiles”.
Carmichael also accepted flights to Dubai and accommodation worth £4400 from C&C Alpha Group – a company run by Choudhrie’s son Bhanu.
A spokeswoman for the Lib Dems said the event was a conference and that no fee had been given for attendance.
Carmichael’s register states that the trip was to “participate in and address conference of C&C Alpha Group senior management”.
Choudhrie, 67, was an adviser to former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron.
A Liberal Democrat spokesperson said: “Sudhir Choudhrie is a long-standing supporter of the party.
“The Liberal Democrats follow all due diligence in accepting donations according to all applicable rules.”
Choudhrie declined to comment.
