Twenty-two people, including former Mayor Serdar Sandal, were arrested in an investigation into allegations of corruption and causing public loss at Bayraklı Municipality in İzmir. Police detained 47 people in an operation on 6 October on charges of “establishing a criminal organization,” “bribery” and “bid rigging.” The İzmir Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office launched the investigation after the Court of Accounts identified irregularities and public loss in tenders and direct procurement transactions carried out in 2024 by the municipal subsidiary BAYBEL A.Ş. Prosecutors alleged that companies participating in the tenders were linked to one another, that some services were recorded as having been provided only on paper and that payments were distributed among the companies. Four detainees were released after giving statements. A judgeship arrested 22 people, including Serdar Sandal, and imposed judicial control on 15 people, including CHP Bayraklı District Chair Didem Gültekin.
9 October 2026
Diken