ANKARA
The number of suspects detained as part of a second operation into fraud allegations connected to a 2010 nationwide civil service recruitment exam has reached 38, Turkish officials said Monday.
A total of 35 out of 78 suspects were detained earlier on Monday by Ankara public prosecutor's office in arrests across 29 provinces including Ankara, Malatya, Isparta, Corum and Bitlis.
Another 35 suspected are on the run and five others are outside the country, officials said.
Fifty-five of 78 suspected are males, 23 are women with some married to each other.
Among the suspects are several civil servants who had been appointed to public bodies including the Interior Ministry, the Ministry of Family and Social Policies as well as municipalities, said officials.
Suspects detained in Ankara province will be brought to the capital's prosecutor's office for questioning before being referred to court.
'Suspects at large'
The suspects are accused of involvement in cheating on the Public Personnel Selection Examination, known by the initials KPSS, held in 2010.
According to unverified sources, most of the suspects had left their residencies ahead of the operation after being warned via a social media account late on Sunday.
An operation is continuing to detain the suspects who remain at large.
The first wave of arrests came in late March across 14 provinces including Ankara, Istanbul and Izmir, and resulted in the detention of 62 suspects; 30 were later released.
Police allegedly found involvement of "parallel state" members, an organization which the Turkish government accuses of penetrating key positions of responsibility across the country in order to undermine it.
The suspects of the first operation faced charges of being members of a criminal organization, document fraud, illegal and harmful activity in public institutions, destroying criminal evidence and abuse of power.
