Investigations into 60 government officials who had been linked to a corruption scandal that severely tarnished government credibility in recent months were dropped by Turkish prosecutors Friday, citing a lack of evidence, dpa reported. The investigations concerned alleged graft at the state-run housing agency TOKI. Those under investigation included a former minister's son and top businessmen in the country. Four ministers were forced to resign when corruption investigations were opened by prosecutors in December. The government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan reacted by reposting or purging hundreds of policemen and prosecutors. Meanwhile, the Hurriyet newspaper reported that a top judicial body has allowed for the prosecution of three prosecutors and a judge who had issued some of the initial orders for the arrest and freezes on accounts of graft suspects during the December probe. The four were among those purged from their posts. Other corruption investigations from last year continue, according to local media reports. Critics say the Erdogan administration is trying to evade the corruption investigations. Erdogan has blamed the probes on a conspiracy led by US based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, an influential Turkish-born figure with followers who are said to be well-placed within Turkey's state institutions. The state-run Anadolu agency has reported that the chief public prosecutor's office in Ankara has launched an investigation into Gulen, whom Erdogan has said is trying to topple his government. The two were once allies, but have fallen out in recent years, culminating in a total breakdown at the end of 2013. The news agency cited an official as saying the process for gathering evidence against the cleric was underway. Erdogan this week said he would seek to extradite Gulen from the United States. Gulen, 73, leads an eponymous Islamic movement, also known as the Hizmet (Service), active in more than 150 countries. The cleric, often praised in the West for preaching moderation, denies any attempt to overthrow the Turkish government. -- SPA 20:31 LOCAL TIME 17:31 GMT تغريد
