25 more Turkish police chiefs sacked in alleged bribery scandal

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Turkey has sacked 25 more police chiefs as part of a fast-moving inquiry into an alleged bribery scandal that has ensnared cabinet ministers and businessmen, local media reported on Sunday.

Scores of people have been detained in connection with the probe, prompting Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to respond with a deep purge of the police, a force he once bolstered to counter the army's influence.

He has sacked dozens of police officials, including the Istanbul police chief, for co-operating with the investigation without permission.

A total of 24 people have been charged so far including the sons of Interior Minister Muammer Guler and Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan, as well as the chief executive of state-owned Halkbank under the investigation that erupted last week.

Erdogan did not say whom he thought was behind the "dirty operation" against his government but most observers have interpreted the raids as a result of tensions between the AKP and influential Muslim scholar Fethullah Gulen, whose movement wields influence in the police, judiciary and secret services.