ISTANBUL, Aug. 16 (Xinhua) — Turkish police on Tuesday launched simultaneous operations against 44 companies in Istanbul over their suspected links to a failed military coup attempt last month, Turkish media reported.

The companies were accused of offering financial support to U.S. -based Muslim cleric Fetullah Gulen and the movement he leads, who Ankara blames for masterminding the coup bid on July 15, the Hurriyet daily said.

Detention warrants were issued against 120 company executives as part of the operations, media reports said.

Some 82,000 personnel from state institutions have been suspended or dismissed from their posts over the coup attempt.