Dec 17 graft probe into senior government figures officially dropped

A landmark graft probe into senior government figures was officially dropped a day before its first anniversary when the Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office rejected an objection to its decision to not pursue proceedings in the case.

As a result of the decision, prosecutors will not pursue corruption charges against 53 people, including Iranian-Azerbaijani businessman Reza Zarrab, Barış Güler - the son of former Interior Minister Muammer Güler - and Kaan Çağlayan, the son of former Economy Minister Zafer Çağlayan.

An Istanbul prosecutor from the anti-terror and organized crime unit of Istanbul Chief Prosecutor's Office had decided Oct. 17 not to proceed against the 53 graft suspects that were detained on that day.

Prosecutor Ekrem Aydıner had pointed to a lack of grounds for legal action against the suspects. According to the semi-official Anadolu Agency, Aydıner found "problems with the evidence," "no proof of criminal elements," or any such other conspiracy.

In the investigation that was launched on Dec. 17, 2013, and targeted the government's senior members, Zarrab was accused of paying bribes to senior government figures in a scheme that allegedly involved Barış Güler and Kaan Çağlayan. Süleyman Arslan, the ex-manager of the state-run Halbank, who was another suspect in the investigation, faced accusations of illegal transferring gold to Iran in exchange for money via Halkbank in partnership with a crime ring allegedly formed by Zarrab.

During the past year, the regulation in the working of the Supreme Council of Judges and Prosecutors (HSYK) was amended and the new regulation was published in the Official Gazette on Dec. 12. The amendments dramatically increased the power of the justice minister over the institution by...