İmamoğlu remains in custody for 2nd day as new details emerge

A high number of police officers conducted a pre-dawn raid on the residence of the mayor from the main opposition Republican People’s Party on March 19, apprehending him as part of two separate investigations — one concerning allegations of corruption and the other for purported links to the PKK/KCK terrorist organization.

Authorities issued warrants for a total of 106 individuals, of whom 87 have been taken into custody so far.

The interrogation process at the police headquarters is set to continue in the coming days before the detainees are referred to court for a ruling on whether they will be arrested or released. Turkish law allows for detention periods of up to four days before a formal charge or release decision is made.

In a handwritten letter shared on social media on March 19, the detained mayor declared that the public would respond to the "lies, plots and traps" set against him. Earlier, before leaving his home for police questioning, İmamoğlu asserted that he would not yield under pressure.

As part of the investigation, authorities seized the mayor’s construction firm, following a financial probe by the Financial Crimes Investigation Board (MASAK).

Another key development in the case came on March 20, when the media published images of vast sums of cash reportedly found in the residences of key suspects.

Police operations uncovered millions of liras at the properties of Ali Nuhoğlu, a construction tycoon, and Emrah Bağdatlı, who remains at large.

Nuhoğlu was detained at his home with 40 million Turkish Liras (over $1 million), while Bağdatlı fled the country two weeks prior to the raid.

Official records reveal that he had booked a flight to Houston, U.S., for March 6 — seemingly a deliberate misdirection — before instead crossing into Greece by car via a land border. To further mislead authorities, he left his mobile phone at home.

İmamoğlu’s detention has triggered a firestorm, given that he is widely seen as the opposition's most formidable contender for the 2028 presidential elections. His detention comes just days before the CHP’s primaries on March 23, intensifying political tensions.

The Istanbul Governor’s Office has imposed a four-day ban on all public demonstrations. Nevertheless, university students announced plans for protests across the city.

Source: HDN