Istanbul, 31 May 2025 (dpa/MIA) — Turkish police have detained 30 individuals, including a former lawmaker and several mayors from the main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), in a sweeping corruption investigation centred on Istanbul, state media reported on Saturday.

Authorities said arrest warrants were issued for 47 suspects in total, according to state news agency Anadolu.

Those taken into custody include former CHP lawmaker Aykut Erdoğdu, as well as three district mayors in Istanbul and another two mayors from the southern Adana province, Anadolu reported.

Police also conducted searches at three district municipality offices in Istanbul.

The investigation is being led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office and focuses on alleged corruption within the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, suspected organized crime activities and irregularities across various district departments, Anadolu said.

The arrests come in the wake of a broader crackdown targeting opposition figures.

In March, several senior officials close to the opposition presidential candidate and former Istanbul mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu were jailed.

İmamoğlu, who was suspended from office, faces multiple charges, including bribery, fraud, bid-rigging, and alleged links to terrorism — accusations he firmly denies.

İmamoğlu is widely seen as the strongest challenger to President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.

In 2024 local elections, the CHP won control of major cities, including Istanbul and the capital Ankara — a major setback for Erdoğan's ruling AKP party.

The recent wave of arrests has intensified political tensions, with opposition and rights groups accusing the government of using the judiciary for political gains.

Erdoğan has likened the CHP and its allies to the arms of an "octopus" spreading corruption and vowed that more will be exposed.

Photo: MIA archive