17.02.2026 16:18
In the case of "Saint İhsan Aktaş criminal organization," his brother Özkan Aktaş and his eldest son Metin Aktaş made their defense. Özkan Aktaş stated, "I am being accused due to my partnership from years ago," while Metin Aktaş said, "It is not me who manages the tenders, but the company officials." Both defendants denied the charges against them.
In the investigation of the "Aziz İhsan Aktaş criminal organization," which is alleged to have organized tender processes by bribing mayors and is claimed to be led by Aziz İhsan Aktaş, the trial of a total of 200 defendants, including 33 detained individuals, 7 of whom are mayors, continues.
The hearing is being held in courtroom number 1, located across from the Marmara Closed Penal Institution, due to the insufficient capacity of the Istanbul 1st Heavy Penal Court. Defendants who are not in custody and their lawyers were present in the courtroom. In the first week of the hearing, detained defendants, including Seyhan Mayor Oya Tekin, Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar, and Avcılar Mayor Utku Caner Çaykara, made their defenses. The third week of the hearing, held at the Marmara Penal Institutions campus in Silivri, has begun.
THREE PEOPLE HAD BEEN RELEASED EARLIER
In previous weeks, it was decided to release Esenyurt Deputy Mayor İbrahim Halil Çalış, Avcılar Municipality Support Services Directorate Purchasing Chief İbrahim Koçyiğit, and ISFALT tender commission financial member Oktay Aktaş under judicial control, while the detention of other defendants was continued due to the nature and characteristics of the alleged crimes, the existing evidence situation, and the presence of strong evidence indicating that they committed the crime.
"WHY AM I BEING ACCUSED FOR A PARTNERSHIP FROM YEARS AGO?"
Özkan Aktaş, the brother of Aziz İhsan Aktaş, stated in his defense, 'In the indictment, I am accused of being a member of the Aziz İhsan Aktaş organization, laundering assets derived from crime, violating the Tax Procedure Law, and forgery of invoices. A secret witness named Yaprak has made accusations against family members and me; however, my name does not even appear in the emails sent to the police. In 2021, I opened Aktaş Group Social Services Construction Company in Bursa. There is no crime date related to me in the criminal file in front of you. When looking at the date of the act, why am I being accused in an indictment from after 2020 for a partnership from years ago? Since when has the old partnership constituted a crime in terms of criminal law? I held shares in Bilginay Cleaning Services Company between 2014 and 2018. The expert reports regarding the tenders cover the period between 2020 and 2024. There is no assessment or determination showing my responsibility during the period I owned it in the indictment. I am not a member of the alleged organization of Aziz İhsan Aktaş. Aziz İhsan Aktaş is my brother. Our businesses are different. There is no situation where he gives me orders or instructions,' he said.
"THE SANCTION APPLIED DUE TO MY SURNAME IS UNLAWFUL"
In the continuation of his defense, Aktaş stated, "There is not a single explanation regarding which tender or as a result of which action I obtained unjust gains. The only company I currently own is called Aktaş Group. There is no accusation regarding the company I own. During the period I was a shareholder in Bilginay Company, there is no participation in any tender mentioned in the indictment. Therefore, it is not possible for me to earn income because I did not participate in the tenders. There is no accusation regarding any invoice during the period I was a shareholder in the indictment. In the MASAK and tax evasion audit examination, there is no finding regarding my shareholding in Bilginay Company. There is no finding related to the period I was an official of Bilginay Company. Additionally, in the expert reports and examinations, no suspicious transaction has been detected during my period. I am being accused without a single piece of evidence that would constitute an accusation of violating the Tax Procedure Law against me. Between 2014 and 2018, when I had shares as Özkan Aktaş in Bilginay Company, there is no accusation regarding any invoice. As I mentioned earlier, this invoice is dated 2024 and does not belong to the period I was a shareholder. The Aktaş Group company I own is not among the companies for which confiscation has been decided in the indictment. When my company is excluded from the indictment, I do not find it right to continue the seizure order on the assets in my name. Because my business is different," he said.
AKTAŞ'S ELDEST SON MADE A DEFENSE
In the hearing, Metin Aktaş, the eldest son of Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who is a defendant not in custody, made a defense. In the indictment, it is stated that he is the owner of Aktaş Information Technologies Industry and Trade Inc., which belongs to the criminal organization, and that irregularities were detected in a tender that the company received from Beşiktaş Municipality at a high price a few months after its establishment, that the organization and financial support for the acquisition of shares in the established company were provided by the organization leader, and that the suspect acted under the orders and instructions of the organization leader, and that a company was established in his name due to the trust placed in him, thus he is claimed to be included in the hierarchical structure.
"IT IS NOT ME WHO ORGANIZES THE TENDERS, BUT THE COMPANY OFFICIALS"
In his defense regarding the accusations, Metin Aktaş stated, "I am the eldest child of Aziz İhsan Aktaş, who is alleged to be the organization leader. Throughout my working life, I have not had authority in the company I own. We have conducted business with hard work and without infringing on anyone's rights. With the arrest of my father, Aziz İhsan Aktaş, a great burden has fallen on my shoulders. My father, my uncle, and many of my relatives have gone to prison. We have been subjected to a lot of slander. I established Aktaş Information Technologies Company. I am being tried as a defendant in this incident where I have been victimized. It is not me who organizes the tenders, but the company officials. I do not have such authority in the company. I reject all the accusations against me and request the lifting of all measures imposed on our company," he expressed.