Afikim bus company owners are suspects in Transportation Ministry graft case

The owners of a major bus company are suspected of bribing a senior Transportation Ministry official in exchange for preferential treatment in the allocation of rights to profitable bus routes.

Four members of the Sela family, which owns the Afikim bus company, were arrested and questioned in connection with the case, Hebrew media reported Thursday after their names were permitted for publication.

Amnon Selah, his wife Shoshana, and sons Eran and Itamar were detained on Wednesday, along with a senior official in the Transportation Ministry.

The detention of Eran and Itamar Sela was extended until next week.

The investigation at the Lahav 433 anti-corruption unit began as a covert investigation and became public as the arrests were made.

All those arrested are suspected of involvement in offenses including bribery, receiving an illicit gift, fraud and breach of trust.

The identity of the official at the heart of the case remained barred from publication by a court-imposed gag order. The suspect’s legal representative filed a request Thursday for the order to remain in place.

Investigators suspect the official received benefits from Afikim’s owners, including personal loans, and in return helped the company receive rights to operate lucrative bus routes. The alleged activities happened over the past four years.

Afikim, which has a fleet of over 200 buses, was established in 2008 and operates in the northern West Bank, Petah Tikva and Rosh Ha’ayin. It also had intercity lines on various routes connecting to Tel Aviv, and from Jerusalem to Ben Gurion Airport. It is the fourth-largest bus company nationwide.

The investigation has now branched out into other directions and another businessman has been detained for questioning in connection with the case, Hebrew media reported.

The suspects’ homes and offices were raided and searched.