Paris, April 1 (IANS): Former French president Nicolas Sarkozy is scheduled to be questioned by judges at a Paris court on Wednesday over a campaign finance scandal dating back to his failed second bid at the presidency in 2012.

The probe centres on claims the centre-right Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party -- which Sarkozy now heads -- should not have paid fines levelled against the former French leader after he broke campaign spending limits, The Local news portal reported.

The UMP is accused of using public cash to pay off Sarkozy's fines, and the party's former chief Jean-Francois Cope and former treasurer Catherine Vautrin has also been charged over the affair.

The former president arrived at the financial section of the main Paris court earlier in the day for questioning by investigating judges.

Sarkozy's campaign is also accused of falsifying invoices for events and passing off some 18.5 million euros ($20 million) in spending as UMP party expenses.

Sarkozy has denied involvement the apparent fraud which meant his campaign spent nearly 50 percent more than it was legally entitled to.