Legal proceedings involving municipalities run by Türkiye's main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) continue to expand, with new allegations and developments emerging in separate investigations centered on the western province of Uşak and Istanbul's Üsküdar district.
One of the most prominent cases involves Üsküdar Mayor Sinem Dedetaş, a leading CHP figure, who was referred to court along with five other suspects following their detention as part of a corruption investigation.
The suspects are accused of irregularities in the issuance of construction and occupancy permits, including alleged bribery and misconduct in public office.
After completing procedures at the Financial Crimes Division of the Istanbul Police Department, the suspects were transferred to the Istanbul Anatolian Courthouse following medical examinations.
The Istanbul Anatolian Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched the investigation after receiving complaints, statements from alleged victims and testimony from some suspects regarding alleged irregularities in the municipality's permitting process.
The investigation targets Dedetaş on allegations of bribery, misconduct in public office and establishing and leading a criminal organization.
Prosecutors also named Deputy Mayor F.D., mayoral adviser U.M., private secretary A.K., Kent AŞ General Manager N.A., as well as several department heads and municipal employees as part of the investigation.
According to investigators, employees of the municipally owned company Kent AŞ, despite having no legal authority over the permitting process, allegedly coordinated the issuance of construction permits by directing municipal personnel through an encrypted internal email network and color-coded Excel spreadsheets organized by land parcel.
Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK) findings allegedly showed that Kent AŞ signed numerous sham "consultancy service" agreements with contractors worth a combined TL 1.08 million ($37,800). Prosecutors allege the contracts were used to conceal the collection of approximately TL 361.4 million from developers seeking construction permits as part of the activities of a criminal organization operating within the municipality and its subsidiary.
Investigators also allege that in larger construction projects, bribes in U.S. dollars were collected in cash from contractors under the coordination of adviser U.M. and Kent AŞ General Manager N.A. In exchange, occupancy permits were allegedly issued despite failing to meet legal requirements. Prosecutors said phone records, cell tower data and suspect statements indicate that the cash was delivered in installments to the mayor's adviser inside the Üsküdar municipal building.
Following the investigation, police carried out simultaneous raids at 11 locations on July 29, detaining six suspects.
In a separate investigation, authorities referred 15 suspects to court after they were detained in connection with businesses allegedly owned by former Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım.
The Uşak Chief Public Prosecutor's Office launched the investigation after determining that several individuals were formally registered as employees of municipal companies but allegedly worked instead at a restaurant, entertainment venue and hotel linked to Yalım.
Prosecutors issued detention warrants for 22 suspects. During simultaneous operations conducted by the Provincial Gendarmerie Command on July 29, 15 suspects were detained. The number later rose to 16 after another suspect was taken into custody.
Fifteen suspects were transferred to the courthouse after completing their procedures with the gendarmerie, while one suspect, identified by the initials F.A., was released after giving a statement.
Authorities continue efforts to locate Yalım, who is subject to a detention warrant, as well as A.A., who is alleged to have had a personal relationship with Yalım and is reported to have worked for both the Uşak and Bornova municipalities for a period.
The investigations in both cases remain ongoing, and the allegations have not yet been adjudicated in court.
