The Scottish National Party are under investigation by Police Scotland following a number of complaints alleging fraud.
More than a dozen complaints have been submitted to cops surrounding donations made to the party for the campaign for independence which have allegedly been spent elsewhere.
Reports in July alleged the party spent vast sums of the ringfenced cash on refurbishing its headquarters, something which has been vehemently denied.
No charges have been made, with the inquiry still sitting in the very first stage of any potential legal process.
What is supposed to have happened?
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, whose husband Peter Murrell is the SNP chief executive, has been facing calls to explain why SNP accounts showed less than £97,000 in the bank, according to 2019 accounts.
The party had promised to “ring fence” donations made for a second campaign for Scottish independence following a 2017 fundraising drive.
The row led to resignations from the SNP’s finance and audit committee and, reportedly, around 60 requests for refunds.
In May, recently installed SNP treasurer Douglas Chapman MP quit. The man he replaced, Colin Beattie MSP, has now been returned to the role.
The fund is thought to have been raised to around £600,000.
Party bosses say “an equivalent” amount will be spent on campaigning for the second drive for independence but could not identify the “ringfenced” money in its accounts.
Who made the complaints against the SNP?
As with any police investigation, we will not officially know who made all of the complaints unless charges are brought.
However, independence activist Sean Clerkin told The Herald newspaper he was responsible for the original complaints to police, saying he was “very pleased” police were conducting an investigation.
Mr Clerkin once attempted to report former Prime Minister David Cameron for “war crimes” at a police station in Rutherglen, near Glasgow.
How has the SNP responded?
The SNP has said it will co-operate fully with the police investigation but would not comment on any of the allegations, other than to call the redecorating claims “nonsense”.
A party spokesperson added: “As we have said before, all sums raised for independence campaigning will be spent on independence campaigning.
“We will fully cooperate with the police investigation, and will make no further comment.”
Speaking to STV News in June, Ms Sturgeon said: “I’m not concerned about the party’s finances.
“The finances of the SNP are independently audited, our accounts are sent to the Electoral Commission in common with other parties and of course published, so there’s full scrutiny around that.
“Money hasn’t gone missing. All money goes through the SNP accounts independently and fully audited.
“We don’t hold separate accounts, we’re under no legal requirement to do that, our accounts are managed on a cash-flow basis.
“But every penny we raise to support the campaign for independence will be spent on the campaign for independence.”
How have other parties reacted?
Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: “I very much welcome the news that Police Scotland has launched an investigation into the claims of impropriety regarding donations to the SNP.
“For many months the SNP has been embroiled in internal fighting and recriminations over this most serious of matters.
“The truth must be known and Police Scotland must be allowed to carry out a thorough and detailed investigation.”
Scottish Conservative chief whip Stephen Kerr MSP said: “The SNP have failed to be fully transparent over this funding for months.
“Senior figures have resigned from the party’s executive committee over the matter but the SNP leadership have still not addressed these serious claims.
“The public to deserve to know the truth. It is only right that Police Scotland are stepping up their investigations having received numerous complaints.
“The police must be allowed to explore every aspect of these complaints to ensure they get to the bottom of this increasingly murky situation.”