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A Turkish court on Monday ordered the arrest of 17 suspects, including Beyoğlu District Mayor Inan Güney, as part of a corruption probe into the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB), while 27 others were released under judicial control measures.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting the investigation into alleged fraud involving Medya A.Ş., Kültür A.Ş., and other municipal subsidiaries. Authorities say the network was linked to former IBB spokesman Murat Ongun and fugitive suspect Emrah Bağdatlı.
Police detained 44 suspects, including Güney, after identifying their involvement in multiple fraud schemes and social media operations allegedly coordinated under Ongun’s oversight. The suspects were taken to Bayrampaşa State Hospital for medical checks before being transferred to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan.
Prosecutors questioned the suspects, later referring 20 of them, including Güney, to the court for arrest and 24 others for judicial control. In total, 45 people have been detained in connection with the investigation so far.
Municipalities controlled by the CHP have faced waves of arrests this year, beginning in March.
The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office is conducting an investigation into the suspects, including Ekrem Imamoğlu, who was suspended from his position as Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayor after his arrest, on charges of “leading a criminal organization,” “membership in a criminal organization,” “extortion,” “bribery,” “aggravated fraud,” “unlawful acquisition of personal data” and “tender rigging.”
The Istanbul police office’s teams from the Financial Crimes Department determined that those held in the latest operation are suspected of involvement in fraudulent activities at companies linked to the Istanbul municipality.
