A SNP policy adviser has been suspended from the party for suggesting Home Secretary Priti Patel should be sent "back to Uganda".
Dr Tim Rideout, a member of the SNP 's Policy Development Committee, made the comments on Twitter over a row on the Ukrainian refugee crisis.
He is also charged with helping to create a currency for an independent Scotland.
Responding to a tweet criticising Patel, Rideout tweeted: "So how do we send this person back to Uganda? Clearly hasn't a shred of humanity.
"Mind you, maybe the new proposed refugee centre on St Helena might avoid inflicting her on anyone. Can compare notes with Napoleon's ghost."
The comments by the currency guru were slammed by opposition parties and led to him being suspended by Nicola Sturgeon 's party.
Patel was born in London, but is of Indian and Ugandan heritage.
Her paternal grandparents were born in India before emigrating to Uganda.
SNP chiefs revealed an investigation has been launched into the comments with a spokesperson calling the remarks "offensive and disgusting".
Scottish Lib Dem leader Alex Cole-Hamilton told the Herald : "Mr Rideout is an influential figure in the Nationalist movement, which makes this nakedly racist broadside all the more serious."
Ian Murray MP, Labour's Shadow Scottish Secretary, said: "These are truly horrendous and outright racist remarks from a key advisor to Nicola Sturgeon.
"While I am no supporter of Priti Patel, nobody should be subjected to this kind of out and out racism."
While, Tory MSP Donald Cameron added: "To make such a racially charged remark like this is totally unacceptable - it has no place in civilised debate."
An SNP spokesperson said: "This tweet is offensive and disgusting.
"The national secretary has been made aware and is looking into this."
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