ANKARA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- Turkish police on Thursday detained 55 people, including Erdal Besikcioglu, the mayor of Ankara's Etimesgut district, as part of a corruption investigation targeting the opposition-run municipality, the country's interior ministry announced.
Besikcioglu is a member of the opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) and a prominent Turkish actor before entering politics.
His three deputies were also taken into custody in the operation, the ministry said on X.
The detentions were carried out during coordinated early morning raids following arrest warrants issued by prosecutors investigating alleged corruption and misconduct within the municipality.
Police searched municipal premises and the homes of suspects during the operation amid a series of corruption investigations involving municipalities governed by the CHP.
On Wednesday, authorities detained 23 municipal officials, including Uskudar Mayor Sinem Dedetas of Istanbul, in a probe into alleged bribery and extortion linked to construction and occupancy permits. ■
