Istanbul’s most senior police official has been dismissed days after Turkish police launched a corruption probe that has ensnared the sons of three government ministers. Police Chief Huseyin Capkin confirmed on Thursday he has been removed from his post.
The government has dismissed dozens of other police officials including some who oversaw the police raids and investigation.
The move has raised criticism from opposition parties that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s government is attempting a cover-up of the scandal.
Police detained 51 people for questioning on Tuesday, including the CEO of a state-owned bank and the mayor of an Istanbul district that is a stronghold of Mr. Erdogan. Nine of them were released without charges late Wednesday after questioning.
Mr. Erdogan insists the probe is a “dirty” conspiracy to harm his government.
