Breaking news! New wave of operations against CHP municipalities: Muhittin Böcek, Abdurrahman Tutdere and Zeydan Karalar detained

In the context of the 'corruption' investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, witnesses working at companies belonging to Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who benefited from effective repentance while under arrest for the crimes of 'establishing and managing a criminal organization' and 'giving bribes', and suspects under arrest, it was alleged that Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar requested unfair financial benefits from company executives who did business during his term as Seyhan Mayor and directed individuals to make payments to Seyhan Municipality Cleaning Affairs Director Özcan Zenger at the time, and Zeydan Karalar and Özcan Zenger were detained.

In the continuation of the investigation, Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere and Kayhan were detained due to allegations that Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere requested unfair financial benefits from company executives doing business with the municipality and directed these individuals to Deputy Mayor Ceyhan Kayhan, and that money was given to Kayhan on different dates.

DETENTION ORDER FOR 15 SUSPECTS

It was learned that Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere, Seyhan Municipality Cleaning Services Manager Özcan Zenger and Adıyaman Deputy Mayor Ceyhan Kayhan, who were detained, were brought to Istanbul.

On the other hand, 4 suspects who were detained for the crime of 'laundering the proceeds of crime', were also detained for the crime of 'laundering the proceeds of crime', after the vehicles and real estates purchased by former Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, who was arrested for taking bribes and being a member of a criminal organization, were taken into custody.

AKGÜN'S ATTORNEY ALSO IN CUSTODY

In addition, four people, including Acting Mayor Ahmet Şahin, who was acting in place of former Büyükçekmece Mayor Hasan Akgün, were detained following allegations that he demanded real estate from construction companies in return for licenses and occupancy permits, forced some business owners to give him real estate, and transferred the obtained real estate to his relatives.

11 PEOPLE IN CUSTODY

While 11 of the 15 people who were issued detention orders were taken into custody, it was learned that 1 person was abroad and efforts were ongoing to capture the other 3 people.

STATEMENT FROM THE CHIEF PROSECUTOR'S OFFICE

The statement made by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the operation included the following statements:

In the investigation file numbered 2024/228233 of the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office; as a result of the examination of the statements and documents submitted by some suspects who stated that they wanted to benefit from the effective repentance provisions; as a result of the determinations made regarding the allegations that they were forced to give money to people determined by Fatih KELEŞ as a result of the pressure and coercion made by Fatih KELEŞ within the scope of the tenders received from IMM and its affiliates, it was determined that search and seizure operations were carried out at the addresses of Büyükçekmece Deputy Mayor Ahmet ŞAHİN and his driver, who were determined to have received the money, and that they were detained for the crime of extortion.

The address of lawyer Onur BÜYÜKHATİPOĞLU, who was found to have been involved in activities aimed at preventing organizational disintegration by keeping suspects under control and pressure in meetings held with senior executives of the organization before the operation and in prison visits after the operation, was searched and seized, and he was detained for the crime of being a member of a criminal organization.

In the investigation file numbered 2024/236201; As a result of the examination of the statements taken and documents submitted by the witnesses working in the companies belonging to Aziz İhsan AKTAŞ, who was released after showing remorse and making detailed statements while under arrest for the crimes of establishing and managing a criminal organization and giving bribes, and some suspects detained within the scope of the investigation;

As a result of the findings regarding the allegations that Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan KARALAR requested unfair financial benefits from company executives who did business with the municipality during his term as Seyhan Municipality Mayor and that money was given to Özcan ZENGER on different dates upon referring the individuals to the Seyhan Municipality Cleaning Services Director of the period, it was decided that searches and seizures be conducted at the addresses of Adana Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Zeydan KARALAR and Özcan ZENGER and that they be detained for the crime of extortion.

As a result of the findings regarding the allegations that Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman TUTDERE requested unfair financial benefits from company executives doing business with the municipality and that money was given to Ceyhan KAYHAN on different dates upon referring people to Deputy Mayor Ceyhan KAYHAN, search and seizure operations were carried out at the addresses of Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman TUTDERE and Adıyaman Deputy Mayor Ceyhan KAYHAN and they were detained for the crime of extortion.

Search and seizure operations were carried out at the addresses of 4 (four) suspects who were found to have used the vehicles and real estates of former Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza AKPOLAT, who was arrested for taking bribes and being a member of a criminal organization, and they were detained for the crime of laundering assets obtained from crime.

In the investigation file numbered 2025/76021, it was determined that the former Büyükçekmece Mayor Hasan AKGÜN demanded real estate from the projects in return for construction permits and occupancy permits from the companies doing construction in the district, forced some business owners to give real estate, made some of the real estate acquired in this context to his relatives and made payments to the companies with which he openly did business. Within the scope of the findings, it was decided that Hasan AKGÜN gave a total of 4 (four) villas to his relatives and companies and a total of 4 (four) suspects who were found to have taken over the real estate and that they be detained for the crimes of giving and receiving bribes.