Ankara Prosecutors’ Office confirms ongoing probe against Turkish State Railways

ISTANBUL

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The Ankara Prosecutors’ Office today confirmed media reports that an investigation was ongoing on Turkish State Railways (TCDD) director Süleyman Karaman over corruption claims in the high-speed rail line tender. 

According to the reports published today in newspaper outlets, prosecutors have launched a probe into Karaman with charges of “corruption,” “tender fraud” and “establishing a criminal organization.”

All tenders of the state railway company’s first and second region directorates, as well as the department dealing with the high-speed rail line in the last four years are being examined, the reports claimed. 

The Prosecutors’ Office said in a statement that an investigation was launched following denunciations, but the claims referred in media reports “did not reflect reality.” 

Meanwhile, the Turkish State Railways denounced an attempt of bringing the state company under suspicion, adding none of its officials have been summoned to give their testimony as part of an investigation. 

Daily Radikal said in its report that a second operation into corruption allegations is being headed by prosecutor Muammer Akkaş, a former prosecutor in the Ergenekon coup plot case. 

Akkaş’s instructions have reportedly been transmitted to the police. The operation is reportedly not directly linked to the ongoing graft probe in which many civil servants and the sons of two ministers have been arrested.