Nicola Sturgeon claimed a cover-up culture persisted in the service
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A fingerprint expert who spoke out over the Shirley McKie case is to face disciplinary action, it has emerged.
Former detective Ms McKie was cleared of leaving a print at a murder scene.
Gary Dempster, who works for the fingerprint bureau in Aberdeen, told the BBC it was wrong to suggest an honest mistake had been made.
The SNP said possible Grampian Police action showed "paranoid secrecy" but ministers accused the party of playing politics with the prosecution service.
Ms McKie was cleared of perjury and compensated after being accused of leaving her fingerprint at a murder scene in Ayrshire.
The first minister has previously called the prosecution an honest mistake.
However, that verdict was disputed by fingerprint officer Gary Dempster, speaking to the BBC's Frontline Scotland programme.
Grampian Police have now told Mr Dempster that he faces a hearing as to whether he had broken rules by speaking to the BBC.
'Significant overhaul'
SNP Holyrood leader Nicola Sturgeon said it was clear that a cover-up culture persisted. She said: "Does the deputy first minister share my concern that Mr Dempster was informed yesterday - and I have a copy of the letter here - that he is to face disciplinary proceedings at the specific request of the director of the Scottish Criminal Records Office - an organisation we are told is beyond reproach and has nothing to hide?"
Deputy First Minister Nicol Stephen, who was standing in for First Minister Jack McConnell, said he was unaware of Mr Dempster's case and said it was "a matter between employee and employer".
However, he insisted flaws in the fingerprint service had been tackled.
"There could not have been a more major, a more significant overhaul of the fingerprint service," he said.
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