Ex-Istanbul mayor's brother-in-law detained in drug probe

The brother-in-law of former Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoglu, who is currently under arrest, has been detained in Istanbul in connection with anti-narcotics operations conducted by Turkish law enforcement.

The detention took place during an operation led by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office as part of a broader investigation targeting public figures, Caliber.Az reports, citing Turkish media.

Ali Kaya, the brother of İmamoglu’s wife, Dilek İmamoglu, was taken into custody and subsequently transferred to a police department to provide testimony within the framework of the ongoing investigation.

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu was detained last March as part of an extensive investigation into the municipality, with police conducting searches at his residence.

Just a day before the raid, authorities annulled his university diploma, raising concerns among opposition supporters about the timing of the investigation.

İmamoğlu is being held accountable for 142 separate crimes. The prosecution has requested a prison sentence ranging from 828 years and 2 months to 2,352 years.

The prosecution claims that during İmamoğlu’s 10 years in office, the state suffered material damages estimated at approximately 160 billion Turkish lira ($3.7 billion).

By Vafa Guliyeva