The Interior Ministry has removed Emrah Kozay, mayor of Adana's Çukurova district, from his post. Kozay was arrested as part of an investigation into suspected irregularities at the municipality and a company it owns. The probe covers tenders, direct procurement transactions, personnel hiring and payment claims within the municipal administration. On top of the arrest, the ministry issued a temporary precautionary measure against him. According to the ministry, the removal was carried out under the provisions of the Constitution and the Municipal Law. Kozay is therefore barred from performing his duties while prosecutors work through the case file. Corruption investigations against Turkish mayors tend to expand the longer they run, so further charges or arrests of officials involved could follow. The district will meanwhile be governed without its elected leader until the legal process is settled.