Ankara police probe deepens with more officer detentions

ANKARA

In an ongoing probe into potential ties between Ankara police and a criminal syndicate, authorities have expanded their investigation with the detention of four additional suspects, three of whom are police officers.

The latest development comes after the suspension of four officers in connection with the case.

Among the officers suspended the day before are three high-ranking officials – Murat Çelik, the deputy provincial police chief in charge of combating organized crime, Kerem Gökay Öner, the branch manager overseeing organized crime investigations and Şevket Demircan, the deputy head of the organized crime branch.

Reports circulating in local media have hinted at potential links between the scrutinized crime group and Ayhan Bora Kaplan, believed to be its leader.

Kaplan, previously known to law enforcement, was apprehended last September at Ankara's Esenboğa Airport while attempting to flee the country.

The investigation into the group's activities encompasses a wide range of allegations, including the establishment of a criminal network, intentional injury and deprivation of liberty.

The focus of the investigation has shifted towards unraveling the activities of the police officers involved, including inquiries into the conduct of secret witnesses and allegations of attempts to manipulate the legal process, according to local media reports.

Serdar Sertçelik, identified as a "secret witness" in the case, has made startling allegations, accusing Ankara police's organized crime units of attempting to "orchestrate a coup," as reported by daily Hürriyet.

Codenamed "M7" in the investigation, Sertçelik accused the police of attempting to implicate former ministers and active bureaucrats in the case, the daily wrote.

In response to the allegations, the number of detentions in the investigation has surged to eight, with the latest round including three civilians and a commissioner apprehended in Ankara on May 16.

The chief public prosecutor's office in Ankara has stated that these detentions are linked to their alleged involvement in illegal smuggling of Sertçelik abroad.

The investigation is broad-ranging, covering charges such as rebellion against the government, attempting to sway judicial officers, favoring criminals and breach of confidentiality.

Ankara police chief Engin Dinç might also face dismissal, the paper added. Dinç had previously testified as a suspect in the 2007 murder case of Armenian-origin journalist Hrant Dink.