David Haigh, the former general counsel of private equity firm GFH Capital, has been arrested in Dubai after the company accused him of financial irregularities.

Haigh (pictured) took over as the managing director of Leeds United Football Club in July 2013 following its acquisition by Dubai based-GFH. He resigned last month after Leeds was sold to Italian businessman Massimo Cellino.

Haigh was arrested shortly after landing in Dubai three days ago, and has remained in prison since, the BBC has reported.

The arrest relates to claims by GFH that Haigh was involved in financial irregularities during the company's ownership and subsequent sale of Leeds.

A statement issued by the private equity house said: "GFH Capital understands that a former employee has been arrested in Dubai and charged on suspicion of fraud, embezzlement and money laundering while he was employed at the bank.

"We are unable to provide any further details at this stage while the case is being considered by the authorities."

Haigh, who according to the BBC denies the allegations, previously worked in an in-house role at Barclays, and in private practice at Thomas Eggar, DLA Piper and Akin Gump.

In an interview last year as part of a campaign to raise his public profile, the lawyer told Legal Week he harboured ambitions of political office.

"Am I planning to run for a seat in 2015?" he said last June. "Not at the moment, but you can never say no. Is it a long-term aim to be in Government? Yes."

He was also nominated for general counsel of the year at Legal Week's Corporate Counsel Middle East Awards in 2013.