Rangers chairman Craig Whyte has rejected claims by the BBC that he may have lied in court over his business dealings.

The corporation reported that during a civil case last year, Mr Whyte told a court his seven-year ban from being a company director did not relate to the treatment of creditors.

But the BBC claimed the judge who imposed the ban said company assets were "put out of the reach of the creditors".

A court transcript published by the BBC appears to show Mr Whyte being asked about his disqualification in a case in the Sheriff Court last year.

He told the court: “This is going back to matters some time. I don't have any recollection of what it was about just now."

He was then asked: "You can't remember why you were banned for seven years?"

Mr Whyte replied: "Well, I'm not going to say in open court and get it wrong."

The Rangers owner was then asked: "Was it anything to do with the treatment of creditors?" He replied: "No."

The BBC reported that the official ruling regarding his seven-year disqualification from operating a company included a reference to company assets were being "put out of reach of creditors on a somewhat dubious and delayed basis".

Mr Whyte has accused the BBC of being on a "witch-hunt".

On Monday night his spokesman said the allegation was "defamatory" and claimed it was "part of a concerted campaign by the BBC to embarrass Craig Whyte personally and to damage Rangers Football Club".

He said: "In specific terms, Mr Whyte totally refutes the scurrilous allegation that he may have committed perjury in a court of law in December last year. The responses he gave to questions relating to matters that took place some 17 years ago were given truthfully and to the best of his recollection."

In a statement posted on the club's official website, he said the "attack" would be "contested robustly" by Mr Whyte's lawyers.