The SNP has been urged to refund donors who handed over cash for fighting a referendum in two controversial fundraisers.

The call from the Tories comes after last week's Supreme Court ruling that Holyrood does not have the power to hold an independence vote without the consent of Westminster.

The verdict has all but killed off Nicola Sturgeon's plan to put the constitution to voters in October next year.

Meanwhile, Police Scotland has confirmed an investigation into a "missing" £600,000 is ongoing. 

The force launched a formal investigation in July 2021 after complaints from independence supporters about the appeal for money on the SNP's short lived ref.scot website. 

The party has long insisted that the money is "ringfenced" for a constitutional battle, but questions over the accounts has dogged the party in recent years, with a slew of senior figures quitting over a lack of transparency. 

The party raised £600,000 in two fundraising drives in 2017 and 2019, explicitly for using in a referendum. 

However, supporters were concerned when accounts lodged with Companies House in 2020 appeared to show the SNP only had £97,000 in the bank. 

Questions over the money became a key feature in that year’s internal elections at SNP conference and saw a slew of candidates promising to open the books. 

Colin Beattie, who held the position of National Treasurer for years, was unseated by MP Doug Chapman. 

However, just months later, Mr Chapman quit saying he had not received the “financial information to carry out the fiduciary duties” necessary. Three members of the SNP’s Finance and Audit Committee also quit. 

Several days later fellow MP Joanna Cherry resigned her place on the party’s ruling body - the National Executive Committee (NEC) –claiming she was prevented from improving “transparency” and “scrutiny” within the party.

It is understood police have received 19 complaints.

A "substantial" number of financial documents were handed to police by the SNP shortly before Christmas after officers executed a warrant authorised by the Crown Office.

Scottish Conservative shadow culture minister Sharon Dowey said: “Now that the Supreme Court has reached a clear judgment, the SNP must do the right thing and hand back the £600,000 that was supposed to be spent on another referendum. 

“Nicola Sturgeon has to intervene and give people back the missing money that appears to have been raised for false purposes.  

“After the court ruling, it’s absolutely vital that the SNP ditch plans to spend £20 million of taxpayers’ money on another divisive referendum.

"There are so many other more pressing priorities that need government funding, especially Scotland’s NHS.

“After she has reallocated public money away from a referendum and towards frontline services, Nicola Sturgeon should also sort out her party’s dodgy finances. 

“The SNP leader should come clean about how this £600,000 was really spent and return it to people who donated in good faith.” 

Independence activist, Sean Clerkin, whose complaint sparked the police investigation, said: "I am convinced the £600.000 that was donated for a referendum has been spent on other things.

"The SNP has to do the right thing and spend the £600,000 donated towards a second referendum on a second referendum." 

An SNP spokesperson said: "The Tories forget what history teaches us – the overwhelming power of democracy to triumph.

"Unlike the democracy denying Tories, we recognise the fundamental right of this nation to self-determination. And we will ensure that the people of Scotland are given a say on their future."