Turkish pollster detained, assets of 41 businessmen seized

The assets of a total of 41 business leaders were seized on Sept. 7 over their alleged links to Fethullah Gülen, the prime suspect in the July 15 coup attempt, as more people, including a renowned pollster and journalists, were detained. 

Investigations have been launched into companies accused of financially supporting the Fetullahist Terrorist Organization (FETÖ). 

Fikret İnan, the owner of the large construction business Fi Yapı; the former CEO of İhlas Holding, Cahit Paksoy; and Fatih Aktaş, chairman of Akfa Holding, were among those whose assets were confiscated. 
A total of 102 people had already been detained in the case, while 39 people, including Paksoy, İnan and Aktaş, were arrested.

Meanwhile, the chairman of the MetroPOLL polling company, Özer Sencar, was detained on Sept. 7 in Ankara as a part of the ongoing investigation into the FETÖ.

"Özer Sencar has been detained today after a search was conducted as part of the investigation into FETÖ/PDY [Parallel State Structure]," read a tweet posted on Sencar's personal Twitter account.

His son, Hüsrev Taha Sencar, said his father was detained after a search at his residence and the MetroPOLL headquarters at 6:30 a.m.

He also added that Sencar's views and stance against FETÖ were clearly known by the public.

MetroPOLL is one of the more respected polling companies in Turkey. 

Elsewhere, three columnists from a nationalist newspaper were detained as a part of the probe into FETÖ.

Servet Avcı, Adnan İslamoğulları and Yavuz Selim Demirağ, who wrote a book on Gülenist activities in the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK), from daily Yeniçağ were detained as a part of the probe launched by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office.