A property developer who is the current Chairman of the Northern Ireland Policing Board is thought to have been questioned by detectives called in by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive to investigate a company called Big Picture Developments, which lists Barry Gilligan as one of its directors.

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Off sick since February this year, after undergoing major heart surgery, it has now emerged that his office and home have been searched as part of a police investigation into a Belfast land deal.

Even his office at the Board's headquarters has been subjected to a search. However, the PSNI would not confirm if Mr Gilligan had been directly questioned by the detectives or not as they "do not go into details on investigations".

(BMcC/KMcA)