Investigation into AKP's Turgut Altınok

The Ministry of Interior has launched an investigation into certain transactions during the tenure of Turgut Altınok, who was the AKP's Ankara Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate in the March 31, 2024 local elections while serving as the Mayor of Keçiören.

T24 columnist Tolga Şardan reported that it was determined that the fuel for the AKP-owned vehicles used by Altınok during his local election campaign was covered by the municipality.

A DIRECTOR SUSPENDED

The Ministry of Interior inspector has suspended the municipality's Cleaning and Transportation Director, S.K.

Stating that promotional and media activities during the Altınok era are under review, here is a portion of Tolga Şardan's article titled "Ministry of Interior launches investigation: Gasoline for AKP campaign vehicles working for Altınok during the election period was taken from the municipality":

"Mesut Özarslan, who ran as a candidate from the CHP, was elected as the new mayor of the district with a result that could perhaps be considered a surprise. Although his political background is from the right, the new Mayor Özarslan placed the Altınok era under the microscope.

Following the initial findings made by Özarslan, the Ministry of Interior quietly launched an investigation into the previous term in recent days.

The Chief Civil Inspector, who was assigned following the municipality's application to the ministry, made very important findings.

While the ministry's investigation at the municipality continues, the inspector found a clue to a process that would cause a political scandal. Actually, it would be more accurate to call it a document rather than a clue.

According to the information I received; it was determined that the fuel for the AKP-owned party vehicles used by Turgut Altınok, who aimed higher by becoming the AKP's Ankara Metropolitan Municipality mayoral candidate while he was the Mayor of Keçiören, was covered by the municipality during the local election period.

Camera recordings were obtained showing that the fuel shipped to the municipality's work machines and vehicles at the facility in the municipality's Transportation Services Directorate in Ovacık was also used for the campaign vehicles involved in Altınok's propaganda activities.

Moreover; it was determined that the fuel for the campaign vehicles was filled using the license plates of municipal vehicles.

With the emergence of the process, the Ministry of Interior inspector, who started the investigation at the municipality, suspended the municipality's Cleaning and Transportation Director, S.K. The suspension took place because S.K. had the signature authority regarding the practice in question within the framework of the division of labor in the municipality.

Meanwhile, municipal sources state that the financial value of the fuel provided to the AKP's campaign vehicles conducting political activities for Altınok is approximately 6 million lira.

Within the scope of the investigation, the Ministry of Interior inspector took the statements of deputy mayor Kazım Kabadayı, who was in Altınok's close team, and some other managers.

What happened at Keçiören Municipality is not limited to this issue. Promotional and media activities during the Altınok era are also under inspector review.

The inspector took the statement of the deputy mayor responsible for this issue, Sabiha Akdemir."

"MADE HEAVY EXPENDITURES FROM THE BUDGET..."

"The reason for taking Akdemir's statement is the high level of expenditures in her area of responsibility.

Let me share the following information I obtained from municipal sources:

Akdemir previously worked as personnel at the TRT General Directorate before transferring to the Keçiören Municipality under Altınok's administration.

Here, she was again made a deputy mayor by Altınok. She found a place at the head of the municipality's press, publication, and promotional activities.

Before Akdemir, the 7-person press and publication team in the municipality exceeded 170 people. Although it was a district municipality, she took part in the establishment of Angara TV and Angara Radio upon Altınok's instructions.

The salaries of the expanded staff began to be paid through the municipal company.

4.5 million lira in infrastructure expenditures were made for the television and radio within 3.5 years.

In addition, it is alleged that heavy expenditures were made from the budget for printing works and large billboards in the district as soon as Altınok became a candidate for the metropolitan municipality."

News Source: 12punto