Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 18
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
One of the ministers of the Turkish government is involved in an internal corruption scandal, Kanal D channel reported today.
The minister's name has not been announced for political reasons.
According to the channel, the minister is accused of receiving a bribe worth $ 1.5 million.
Turkish police have recently conducted special operations in Istanbul and Ankara, resulting in the arrest of 52 people that includes businessmen and sons of some ministers.
The detained businessmen are accused of corruption, smuggling and selling drugs.
The sons of Interior Minister Muammer Guler - Baris Guler, Minister of Economy Zafer Caglayan - Salih Kaan Caglayan, and Minister of Environment and Urban Planning Erdogan Bayraktar - Oguz Bayraktar are said to be among those arrested. All three were detained on suspicion of corruption.
The ministers are the members of the Turkish ruling party.
Mayor of Istanbul's Fatih Municipality, Mustafa Demir, a businessmen engaged in construction, one of the heads of state Halkbank, as well as several officials from the Ministry of Economy and Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning were arrested during the same operation by the police. Searches were conducted at Halkbank's office.
Translated by NH
Edited by CN