Police Scotland's SNP investigation has already cost over £800,000.

Nicola Sturgeon speaks to reporters on her return to the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh, following her arrest on 20 June. Photo: Jane Barlow/PA

Scottish police investigation into SNP finances has cost the taxpayer over £800,000 so far.

According to police, the Branchform operation cost £802,348 by the end of June: £67,856 was spent on overtime related to the investigation and approximately £734,492 in staff salaries.

Total amount received after request on Freedom of Information, included the cost of an April police raid and a search of the home of Nicola Sturgeon, former First Minister, in Glasgow.

This also included the arrests of Ms. Sturgeon. , Peter Murrell, her husband and former SNP chief executive, and Colin Beatty, former party treasurer. After questioning by detectives, all three were released without charge pending further investigation.

The trio were three registered SNP officers listed on the cover of her most recent accounts submitted to the Board of Elections. > Police car outside Nicola Sturgeon's house on June 12. Photo: Andrew Milligan/Pennsylvania.

Since July 2021, the Scottish Police have been investigating the appeal of the SNP with more than £600,000 in donations raised in 2017 for a second independence referendum.

Complaints were filed by supporters when reports filed with Companies House in 2020 showed that the SNP had only £97,000 in the bank despite the referendum never being held.

Officers ransacked Mrs' house Ms. Sturgeon and Mr. Murrell on the subject of two days erecting a large white tent in their front garden, and a luxurious mobile home was confiscated from his elderly mother's Fife home.

Craig Hoy, Scottish Tory Chairman, told the Scottish Sun on Sunday: «The scale of the sums involved so far shows the seriousness of this police investigation.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, said points, but the party's own internal chaos seems to be pushing it even harder.»

Ms Sturgeon visited an «arranged» police station last month where she was interrogated for more than seven hours.

She rejected calls to give up the SNP whip pending the outcome of the investigation, arguing that it would undermine her plea of ​​innocence.

Ms Sturgeon previously insisted in a statement: “Innocence is not just a presumption to which I am entitled by law. I know for a fact that I am not, in fact, guilty of any wrongdoing.»

A police spokesman for Scotland said: «As the investigation is ongoing, we cannot comment further.»

An An SNP spokesman told the Scottish Sun: «Police Scotland do not need to justify their costs to the SNP. They answer to the Scottish public.”