Having dismissed or transferred scores of prosecutors and police chiefs in response to a major corruption investigation, the Government has removed three high-ranking officials from Turkey’s bank regulator.

The Vice President of the Banking Regulation and Supervision Agency and two department heads were removed without explanation.

The agency was believed to have been looking into allegations of corruption at a State-run bank and bribery in large real estate projects.

Five department head were also fired at the Telecommunications Directorate (TIB), a body that carries out electronic surveillance, and a dozen senior people were dismissed at State television TRT.

The Government’s purge follows an anti-corruption operation, launched on December 17, that has detained a number of politicians and businessmen — including four Government ministers and the sons of three of them.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said that the investigation is a “plot” and “attempted coup”. His AKP ruling party is in an escalating with the followers of Fethullan Gulen, a US-based cleric who is supported by many officials within the Turkish administration.