FORMER Rangers chief executive Charles Green has been reported to the Serious Fraud Office by a company linked to Craig Whyte.

The Worthington Group, which has bought into one of the former owner's companies, said it had uncovered information relating to Green and Commercial Director Imrad Ahmad's takeover last year.

The Stock Exchange announcement is the latest salvo in the battle for control of Rangers between Green and Whyte.

Green resigned on Friday and is being investigated by the Ibrox board over his links to Whyte through Sevco 5088 Ltd.

Whyte claims he owns the firm, which entered into a £5.5million exclusivity deal for Rangers' assets with administrators Duff and Phelps last year, and that it is a subsidiary of another of his firms, Law Financial.

Green has denied any wrongdoing, as has Ahmad, who remains a director at the club.

Worthington said: "During the course of the company's due diligence process, relating to its purchase of a stake in Law Financial, information has been discovered relating to the conduct of Mr Charles Green and Mr Imran Ahmad. This has today been reported to the Serious Fraud Office."

Neither the club nor the SFO has commented on the development.

Earlier, Rangers released a statement dismissing Whyte's claims on Ibrox as "spurious".

The club said: "As none of the allegations that have been made in the press has been substantiated by evidence of any legally enforceable rights and as details of any claim, while threatened, have not been received, the company regards any such press commentary and speculation to be highly spurious.

"The Group has been and continues to receive legal advice to protect the business, assets and reputation of the company and its directors from such spurious claims.

"In view of recent media speculation, the company wishes to clarify that Sevco 5088 is not an active subsidiary of the Rangers International Football Club plc. It is and has been a defunct non-trading company over which termination proceedings began last year."

Green took up his position at Rangers last summer after leading a consortium that purchased the assets of the liquidated Rangers Football Club plc.

Meanwhile, as reported in later editions of last night's Evening Times, the club yesterday confirmed the appointment of Craig Mather, 42, as his interim replacement.