As part of an investigation into the Beşiktaş Municipality, a detention order has been issued for 12 municipal officials, including Deputy Mayor Ali Rıza Yılmaz.

In a statement, the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said: "As part of the investigation into the Aziz Ihsan Aktaş criminal organization, it has been determined that the organization was involved in tampering with tenders obtained from the Beşiktaş Municipality. As a result, a decision has been made to search the residences of 12 municipal employees involved in the preparation process of these tenders, among them, Beşiktaş Deputy Mayor Ali Rıza Yılmaz, and to seize relevant evidence and detain the suspects."

This decision came while another investigation into the Beykoz Municipality was ongoing. In the context of an inquiry into tender rigging, Beykoz Deputy Mayor Fidan Gül was detained on Tuesday, April 15, and was arrested the next day following a court hearing.

The investigation, conducted by the Beykoz Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office, includes 12 individuals, among them Beykoz Mayor Alaattin Köseler, facing charges of "tender rigging" as well as "forming, being a member of, or aiding a criminal organization."