Uşak Mayor detained in Ankara brought to Istanbul

Following an investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office into Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım over allegations of "accepting bribes from individuals and companies," teams from the Istanbul Police Department's Financial Crimes Investigation Branch conducted simultaneous operations in three provinces this morning. Among those detained as part of the investigation were Uşak Mayor Özkan Yalım, Deputy Mayor Halil Arslan, the municipality's Accounting and Finance Manager Hüseyin Yaman, Chief of Staff Hasan Doğukan Kurnaz, official driver Murat Altınkaya, and municipal staff members Cihan Aras and Seher Aras, totaling 13 individuals listed as 'suspects.' Mayor Yalım, who is at the center of the investigation, was detained in a luxury hotel room in Ankara alongside S.A. (21), a municipal staff member with whom he is alleged to have had a romantic relationship. Mayor Özkan Yalım, who was detained in Ankara as part of the "bribery" investigation, was brought to Istanbul by road under the escort of Financial Crimes police in the evening. After undergoing a medical check-up at the hospital, Yalım was taken to the Istanbul Police Department to provide his statement.