Alex Salmond has accused senior figures in the SNP and Scottish Government of setting out to have him imprisoned.
The former first minister has claimed it involved a “range” of people and was “deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted”.
And he said he believed the true cost to Scottish taxpayers could run into many millions of pounds.
The explosive claims were made in Mr Salmond’s submissions to the Holyrood inquiry which is investigating the way the Scottish Government handled harassment allegations against him.
The evidence supports a deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort amongst a range of individuals within the Scottish Government and the SNP to damage my reputation, even to the extent of having me imprisoned.”
Alex Salmond.
The documents have been published ahead of his appearance at the inquiry on Wednesday, and follow weeks of wrangling over whether the details could be made public.
In his submission, Mr Salmond urged that MSPs should ensure officials involved are held to account.
He said: “The real cost to the Scottish people runs into many millions of pounds and yet no-one in this entire process has uttered the simple words which are necessary on occasions to renew and refresh democratic institutions – ‘I resign’.
“The committee now has the opportunity to address that position.”
Cambridge English Dictionary
The inquiry was set up after the former SNP leader received a £512,000 pay-out following the Court of Session civil ruling that the Scottish Government’s handling of the complaints was “unlawful” and “tainted by apparent bias”.
Mr Salmond was cleared of 13 charges, including sexual assault, indecent assault and attempted rape, following a trial last year.
In his submission, Mr Salmond also addressed claims that he had been the victim of a “conspiracy”.
He said: “It has been a matter of considerable public interest whether there was ‘a conspiracy’.
“I have never adopted the term but note that the Cambridge English Dictionary defines it as ‘the activity of secretly planning with other people to do something bad or illegal.’
“I leave to others the question of what is, or is not, a conspiracy but am very clear in my position that the evidence supports a deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort amongst a range of individuals within the Scottish Government and the SNP to damage my reputation, even to the extent of having me imprisoned.”
‘Conspiracy dossier’
An SNP spokesman said: “This is just more assertion without a shred of credible evidence.
“Several of the women have already made clear how utterly absurd it is to suggest they were part of a conspiracy to bring him down. And yet Alex Salmond is still making these ridiculous and baseless claims and lashing out at all and sundry.
“People who supported him loyally for years and worked tirelessly to get him elected don’t deserve these smears. And women who made complaints about his behaviour – who barely merit a mention in his conspiracy dossier – most certainly deserve better.”
The burden of proof
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had earlier challenged Mr Salmond to either provide “proof” of a conspiracy against him or stop making “deeply distressing” claims.
She attempted to pile the pressure on her predecessor and one-time mentor, saying his appearance would give him an “opportunity” to replace “insinuation and assertion with evidence”.
Speaking to STV News, she said: “This week I think it is an opportunity for Alex Salmond. I hope he will come to the committee on Wednesday.
“He has made claims, or he appears to be making claims or suggestions, that there was some kind of conspiracy against him, or a concerted campaign against him.
“There’s not a shred of evidence about that. So this is the opportunity for him to replace insinuation and assertion with evidence.
“I don’t believe he can because I know what he is saying is not true, but the burden of proof is on him, and if he can’t provide that evidence, he should stop making these claims about people because they are not fair and deeply distressing.”
