"We can confirm a 64-year-old man has been arrested and charged and a report has been sent to the procurator fiscal. Proceedings are now live under the contempt of court act," said Police Scotland when asked about the reports.

A source confirmed to Reuters that the man was Salmond, 64.

The police did not name the man or detail what offenses he has been accused of committing. Scotland's Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Office also said it could not comment on the reports.

Three calls to Salmond's spokesman yielded no response. Salmond's lawyer was not available by phone and an email sent to him got no immediate response.

Sky News said Salmond was due to appear in court later on Thursday.

Salmond led the devolved Scottish government for seven years until 2014, and is credited with helping to push support for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom to record levels during the 2014 referendum campaign.

He has denied any criminal conduct after being accused of sexually assaulting two members of staff at his official residence in 2013 while he held office as the first minister.

Losing his parliamentary seat in last year's election, Salmond said early January there were forces trying to destroy him because he is a "political threat."

The issue also caused problems for the incumbent First Minister and SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon, who was referred to a watchdog panel because she spoke with her former mentor Salmond after sexual harassment allegations were made against him.

Sturgeon said she met with Salmond three times and spoke with him on the phone twice after two women brought allegations against him to the Scottish government a year ago.

Sturgeon says she's acted appropriately but "the fact remains that at the center of this issue are two women whose complaints could not be swept under the carpet."

Opposition parties had called on Sturgeon to make the referral to standards watchdog for government ministers.

Salmond took legal action against the government -- now led by former party colleague Nicola Sturgeon - over how it handled the complaints process against him in the case.

He won his judicial review earlier this month after the government conceded it had acted unlawfully while investigating the harassment claims against him.

However, Police Scotland last year launched their own separate investigation into the complaints, made by two female members of staff, leading to Thursday's arrest.

Welcoming the government's announcement on Jan. 8 that the case had been settled, Salmond said the process had been "completely unnecessary" and accused the government of deliberate media leaks about the case.

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