7 people, including Tanju Özcan, arrested in Bolu Municipality investigation

In an investigation conducted over allegations of irregularities in vehicle rental tenders at Bolu Municipality, 7 people, including the suspended Mayor Tanju Özcan, who is already in custody for another offense, have been arrested.

Some of the 21 people detained as part of the investigation carried out by the Bolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office were referred to the courthouse following their procedures at the Provincial Gendarmerie Command. The procedures for 8 people brought to the prosecutor's office yesterday and 7 people brought to the courthouse today have been completed.

The prosecutor's office referred Özcan, as well as Deputy Mayor Gülden Özaydın, Acting Director of Cleaning Affairs Basri Baytekin, Head of the Cleaning Affairs Directorate Inspection and Acceptance Commission B.T., and the owner of the contractor firm and 2 of its employees to the duty court with a request for their arrest.

ALLEGATIONS OF IRREGULARITIES IN VEHICLE RENTAL TENDERS

The duty court issued arrest warrants for the 7 people referred. Within the scope of the investigation, 8 people were released under judicial control conditions. It was learned that efforts are ongoing to apprehend 1 person who is reported to be a fugitive.

The investigation was launched following allegations of irregularities in vehicle rental tenders at the municipality. In this context, detention warrants had been issued for 22 people, including municipal administrators, municipal staff, officials from cleaning companies, and representatives of the contractor firm.

The expert report included in the file alleged that some garbage collection vehicles were shown as operational on days they were not actually working, and payments were made to the contractor firm based on these records. The report claimed that 34 million 288 thousand 376 Turkish Lira and 61 kuruş, including price differences and VAT, were paid in excess and improperly to the MCY-Yeşilçam Business Partnership within the scope of 19 separate progress payments organized by the Bolu Municipality Cleaning Affairs Directorate.

News Source: 12punto