Turk AKP MP resigns over Tesco land bribery claims

Disli had been accused of accepting a $1 million bribe to push through an ambitious planning application from a local entrepreneur, who later sold the prime site in Istanbul to Tesco, the UK's biggest retailer by sales, for $13 million.�

Opposition politicians led the campaign calling for Disli’s resignation, after receiving information about the deal from another individual involved in the land sale.

CHP Deputy Chairman Mustafa Ozyurek said Tuesday the AKP deputy's resignation was not enough, adding he wanted Disli to be judged in court and also quit as an AKP member of parliament.

Tesco denied any connection to the bribery claims and said the allegations that have surfaced in Turkey were a political matter and have nothing to do with their purchase of the land or the subsequent store development.

The funds – which Disli said was a separate and legal payment – paid by the entrepreneur, later sold the tract of land with unusually liberal planning permits to Tesco. The UK supermarket was not suspected of any wrongdoing, while both Disli and the entrepreneur involved in the sale denied any wrongdoing.

Tesco first entered Turkey in 2003, when it acquired local hypermarket chain Kipa for 75 million pounds ($133 million).