Turkish police detained two suspects, including the daughter-in-law of suspended Antalya Mayor Muhittin Böcek, as part of a widening corruption investigation into Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), authorities announced Thursday.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office issued detention warrants for three suspects, including Zuhal Böcek, as part of an investigation into alleged organized crime, bribery, extortion, aggravated fraud, bid-rigging and the unlawful acquisition of personal data.
Police detained Böcek and one other suspect, while efforts continued to capture a third suspect, officials said.
The investigation is one of several targeting municipal structures and people linked to the suspended Antalya mayor. Muhittin Böcek’s chief adviser, two Antalya Metropolitan Municipality employees and two drivers had previously been arrested as part of the same Istanbul-based probe.
Separately, prosecutors in Antalya issued detention warrants for 34 suspects in an investigation targeting a municipal affiliate. Authorities said Muhittin Böcek, who is already jailed and suspended from office, was among the suspects named in that case.
Police operations to apprehend the suspects were ongoing, officials said.
Previously, Muhittin Böcek of the Republican People's Party (CHP) was arrested in July on allegations of accepting a TL 195 million ($4.32 million) bribe with his son, reportedly laundered through jewelry stores and currency exchanges. The Interior Ministry later suspended him from duty.
The investigation expanded over the following months through a series of coordinated police operations targeting suspects connected to the municipality, including businesspeople and municipal officials.
The main opposition CHP is under mounting scrutiny as a wave of corruption, bribery and terrorism-related investigations sweeps across its municipalities.
