Authorities in Istanbul have detained 22 people as part of an expanding corruption investigation into the opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP)-run Şile Municipality, local media reported on Dec. 23.
The investigation focuses on allegations of “forming a criminal organization,” “extortion,” “bribery” and “rigging public tenders.”
Financial crimes police carried out the latest operation after reviewing phone records and financial transactions flagged in reports by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).
Prosecutors said evidence pointed to the involvement of 23 additional suspects in the alleged scheme. Of those, 22 were taken into custody during coordinated raids, while one suspect was already in prison.
The probe follows earlier arrests linked to the municipality.
Şile Mayor Özgür Kabadayı was detained on July 10 and formally arrested four days later. Four municipal officials were also jailed in the same investigation.
The Interior Ministry announced on July 16 that Kabadayı had been temporarily suspended from office.
