Several more people linked to the corruption allegations in the case against Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) have been detained in Istanbul.
Turkish media on Saturday reported that 47 people were taken into custody during operations in Istanbul, the capital, Ankara, and northwestern Tekirdağ province.
A total of 53 suspects were ordered to be arrested. Six suspects remain at large. Searches were continuing at homes and workplaces, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office said in a statement.
Media reports said those detained included the chief secretary of Istanbul’s former mayor Ekrem Imamoğlu, who was detained on March 19 and arrested on March 23.
Imamoğlu’s bodyguard and the director of Istanbul waterworks, Istanbul Water and Sewerage Administration (ISKI), were among those detained.
The wife of Imamoglu's adviser was also detained Saturday.
Prosecutors say Imamoğlu was among the leaders of a criminal network apparently enriching themselves through bribes and rigged public tenders. Ekrem Imamoğlu and 99 others are also accused of illegally obtaining personal data, while a separate probe also accuses him, IBB Deputy Secretary-General Mahir Polat, Istanbul’s Şişli District Mayor Resul Emrah Şahan and four others of helping the PKK terrorist group.
The CHP has launched rallies and incited riots after Imamoğlu’s arrest. It claims that Imamoğlu’s arrest is politically motivated, as the party had nominated him for the next presidential election. However, the government argues that the CHP’s claim and pro-Imamoğlu rallies are simply an attempt to cover up the mayor’s alleged wrongdoings, which range from rigging public tenders to taking bribes.
