London police released former ambassador Peter Mandelson on bail in the early hours of Tuesday, in a probe into his ties to disgraced US financier Jeffrey Epstein, only days after ex-prince Andrew was arrested.
Mandelson, a pivotal figure in British politics and the UK’s former envoy to Washington, was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office around 17:00 GMT (10pm PKT) on Monday following allegations arising from the latest set of documents linked to Epstein.
“A 72-year-old man arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office has been released on bail pending further investigation,” the Metropolitan police said in a statement around nine hours after he was taken in to an unnamed London police station.
Images on UK television earlier appeared to show Mandelson, 72, being driven away from his north London home, accompanied by a man and a woman, after police raided his properties earlier this month.
The arrest came days after Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, King Charles III’s younger brother, was detained on Thursday and released under investigation in a separate misconduct in public office investigation also related to the latest Epstein documents.
Mandelson is being probed over allegations that he sent sensitive documents to the late US sex offender when he was a government minister, including during the 2008 financial crash.
Police have not specified which documents are part of the probe.
The veteran ex-politician was sacked by Prime Minister Keir Starmer as envoy to Washington in September when an earlier release of documents linked to Epstein showed the extent of their friendship.
