'Tender gang' operation at Beşiktaş Municipality: Deputy Mayor also referred to courthouse

The knot is being untied in the “tender gang” investigation targeting Beşiktaş Municipality. Within the scope of the operation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the criminal organization allegedly led by Aziz İhsan Aktaş, allegations of bribery and tender corruption involving the municipality have been placed under scrutiny.

The 12 municipal officials, including high-level figures who were detained as part of the investigation, were referred to the Istanbul Courthouse after their procedures at the police station were completed.

DEPUTY MAYOR AND CHIEF OF STAFF ON THE LIST

Among the names referred to the courthouse are Beşiktaş Deputy Mayor Ali Rıza Yılmaz and Beşiktaş Municipality Chief of Staff Emirhan Akçadağ. The suspects were brought to the Istanbul Courthouse in Çağlayan after undergoing health checks in the morning hours.

ALLEGATIONS OF BRIBERY AND TENDER MANIPULATION

The file conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office contains serious allegations that the criminal organization rigged public tenders and paid bribes to mayors and high-level executives. Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who is alleged to be the ringleader, had been arrested previously.

It is claimed that the organized structure established a systematic framework to control municipal resources and direct tenders to preferred companies.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Within the scope of the investigation, it was alleged that 12 municipal officials, including Beşiktaş Deputy Mayor Yılmaz and Beşiktaş Municipality Chief of Staff Akçadağ, rigged tenders that the criminal organization received from the municipality, and the prosecutor's office issued detention warrants for the suspects based on these findings.

In the operation carried out by the teams of the Istanbul Police Department's Financial Crimes Investigation Branch, Beşiktaş Deputy Mayor Ali Rıza Yılmaz, Beşiktaş Municipality Chief of Staff Emirhan Akçadağ, Support Services Manager Gülal Erdovan Anıl, as well as municipal employees Manager Filiz Yolsal, Engineer Ali Fuat Toptaş, Data Preparation and Control Operators Ali Güvendi and Nilgün Boduk, Instructor Gülşah Ocak, Tax Collector Erdal Özece, Tender Commission Member and municipal civil servant Bilal Ören, Beyoğlu Municipality Information Technology Manager Zafer Ozan Ay, and Sancaktepe Municipality Press and Public Relations Manager Gökhan Turan were detained.

News Source: 12punto