Humza Yousaf has rejected claims made by an SNP MSP of "collusion" between police and media over Operation Branchform.
The First Minister told reporters "I don't believe that" when asked about comments made by James Dornan regarding an on-going investigation into SNP finances.
It follows a high-profile police search of a home belonging to Nicola Sturgeon and Peter Murrell in April.
Dornan, a Glasgow MSP, had suggested the event had been "like Fred West's house" - a reference to a notorious 1994 investigation into the serial killers Fred and Rose West.
He added: "The fact that the media decided to make a big play of arresting the leader, the fact the police and the media seem to have some kind of collusion about making sure the media are in attendance when the slightest thing happens.
"It's like Fred West's house when they come to look for a paper trail."
Asked if he believed there was collusion, Yousaf said today: "No, I don't believe that, and I'm not of course going to be commenting on a live police investigation."
He also added that he had not spoken to Nicola Sturgeon since she was arrested and questioned by detectives for several hours las weekend.
The former first minister was released without charge on Sunday evening, pending further investigations.
Yousaf was also asked about reports he had told all SNP MSPs to support Sturgeon or quit the party.
It followed calls from Michelle Thomson and Ash Regan for Sturgeon to lose the party whip until the police investigation is concluded.
Yousaf said: "I've made it clear to MSPs, and they are all united behind the fact that, of course, if you're advancing the cause of independence, then we want you to be part of the group.
"And that's all my asked my MSPs to do."
In a statement in response to Dornan's comments, a Police Scotland spokesman said: "Any suggestion that the media were informed in advance of an arrest is untrue."
A Scottish Conservative spokesperson said: “Accusing the police of collusion with the media during a live investigation is an extremely serious matter and so we would expect these comments to be looked at very carefully.”
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