A striking detail in the İBB indictment! Rıza Akpolat, along with İmamoğlu, determined the CHP's mayoral candidates.

12.11.2025 00:20

In the indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office as part of the investigation into the "Imamoğlu organized crime group," it is claimed that the candidates for mayor in provinces and districts across Turkey for the 2024 local elections were determined by Ekrem İmamoğlu, and that the 9 mayoral candidates in Istanbul were selected from individuals close to İmamoğlu. It is also alleged that 5 candidates were determined by Rıza Akpolat due to his role in the Istanbul Provincial Presidency elections.

The indictment prepared by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the investigation into the "criminal organization for profit" led by İmamoğlu has been submitted to the court.

CLAIM THAT THE ORGANIZATION STARTED DURING THE BEYLİKDÜZÜ PERIOD

In the indictment, it was stated that Ekrem İmamoğlu, who is in the position of the organization's leader, established a structure that provided financial benefits to company owners by committing various irregularities in municipal transactions such as permits, zoning, and occupancy permits for construction projects under his authority after he took office as the Mayor of Beylikdüzü in the 2014 local elections, starting in 2015.

The indictment expressed that İmamoğlu began to obtain financial benefits by abusing the authority of this structure he established in the municipality, and that he engaged in actions such as opening unzoned areas for zoning and ignoring irregularities in buildings. It was mentioned that suspects Fatih Keleş and Adem Soytekin acted on İmamoğlu's instructions, meeting with company owners and were responsible for receiving financial benefits obtained from irregularities in construction projects as bribes from the company owners.

The indictment stated that suspects İmamoğlu, Fatih Keleş, Adem Soytekin, Mehmet Murat Çalık, and Tuncay Yılmaz obtained financial benefits from individuals for zoning permits, building permits, and occupancy permits, and that a criminal organization was established to gain economic benefits by coming together for this purpose.

CLAIM THAT İMAMOĞLU USED THE MONEY OBTAINED FROM THE ORGANIZATION TO BE ELECTED AS İBB PRESIDENT

In the indictment, it was emphasized that during the establishment period of the organization between 2015-2019, suspect Ekrem İmamoğlu personally participated in all identified actions, primarily including bribery and money laundering, and directed the organization's managers and members. It was stated that "The criminal organization for profit established by suspect Ekrem İmamoğlu laid the foundations of the organization with the irregularities it began to commit in the Beylikdüzü Municipality, and the financial benefits obtained as a result of the actions of this criminal organization were used in 2019 to be elected as the İBB president."

The indictment highlighted that after İmamoğlu was elected as İBB President, he worked to distance the then CHP Chairman Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu from the party, and to achieve this goal, he provided funding to various journalists to gain public support and conducted PR activities.

IT WAS STATED THAT İMAMOĞLU ACTED LIKE THE DE FACTO CHAIRMAN OF CHP

In the indictment, it was mentioned that İmamoğlu, who was not nominated as a presidential candidate in the 2023 Presidential General Elections, accelerated secret activities within the party against the then CHP Chairman Kılıçdaroğlu, attracting Kılıçdaroğlu's close associates with various promises and holding secret meetings regarding this matter. It was recorded that İmamoğlu acted like the de facto chairman of CHP.

The indictment included the following statements: "In the internal party elections of the Republican People's Party held on October 8, 2023, he formed an alliance with Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat, who is known for his closeness to Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu and was arrested in the corruption investigation, and supported Özgür Çelik, a close friend of Rıza Akpolat, against Cemal Canpolat, who was nominated by Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu. Since the organization leader did not have absolute control over the delegates and district mayors at that time, he had to form an alliance with Rıza Akpolat and a few mayors who acted with him. It was stated that Rıza Akpolat, who served as the mayor of Beşiktaş, one of the 'richest' districts of Istanbul, reached significant financial power through corruption, provided financial benefits to the delegates who would vote in the provincial presidency elections, and made promises to ensure that they would cast their votes in favor of Özgür Çelik."

In the investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the irregularities involved in the CHP Istanbul Provincial Presidency elections, it was stated in the indictment that the case opened against Rıza Akpolat and other suspects is still ongoing. It was noted that "The organization leader, who ensured the election of the provincial chairman he supported by 'buying delegates' at the 38th Istanbul Provincial Congress, determined Özgür Özel as a candidate against Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu at the 38th Ordinary Congress of the Republican People's Party held on November 4-5, 2023, and that a similar process occurred in the general congress, where 'delegates were bought' to vote in favor of Özgür Özel. It was stated that the investigation conducted by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the irregularities that occurred during the ordinary congress is still ongoing."

CLAIM THAT CHP'S MAYORAL CANDIDATES IN ISTANBUL WERE DETERMINED BY İMAMOĞLU AND RIZA AKPOLAT

In the indictment, it was stated that after the change in the CHP leadership, the control of the party completely passed to İmamoğlu, and the following expressions were used: "In the local elections held in March 2024, many of the mayoral candidates in Istanbul districts and across Turkey were determined by the organization leader (Ekrem İmamoğlu). In districts such as Şişli, Üsküdar, Beylikdüzü, Esenyurt, Eyüpsultan, Bakırköy, Sancaktepe, Kadıköy, and Çekmeköy, the organization leader nominated individuals loyal to him, while he brought the mayors of Büyükçekmece, Küçükçekmece, and Tuzla under his control. The mayoral candidates for Avcılar, Sarıyer, Beyoğlu, Bayrampaşa, and Gaziosmanpaşa were determined by Rıza Akpolat due to his role in the Istanbul provincial presidency elections and the ordinary congress.

In the indictment, it was emphasized that the suspect Ekrem İmamoğlu, who took control of the municipalities, tried to prevent the public discussion of the organization he established by bringing up his accelerated candidacy for the presidency after becoming aware of the investigation phase.