02.04.2025 18:30
Businessman Zafer Gül, one of the suspects in the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (İBB), stated that former Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık, who was arrested, asked for 6 million lira for renovation permits for his companies during his tenure as deputy mayor in the district in 2015. Gül mentioned that they made part of this payment and provided apartments in exchange for the remaining amount.
The businessman Zafer Gül, one of the suspects in the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM), stated that former Beylikdüzü Mayor Mehmet Murat Çalık, who was suspended from duty as part of the investigation, asked for 6 million lira from them for the renovation permit of his companies during the time he served as the deputy mayor in the district in 2015.
THE CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION AGAINST IMM CONTINUES The corruption investigation conducted by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office against Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was suspended from his position as IMM President after his arrest, and 99 suspects for crimes including "being a leader of a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," "bribery," "qualified fraud," "illegally obtaining personal data," and "interfering with a tender" is ongoing.
ALLEGATIONS OF "BRIBERY" AGAINST THE FORMER BEYLİKDÜZÜ MAYOR Businessman Zafer Gül stated in his testimony that he is an official of Gül Kentsel Tasarım İnşaat Tur. Tic. Ltd. Şti. Gül mentioned that Ali Gül, whose name was mentioned in the investigation, was previously an official of Gül İnşaat, and that he also knew Uğur Güngör, the official and owner of Mus Can İnşaat Turizm San. Ltd. Şti.
"MEHMET MURAT ÇALIK ASKED FOR 6 MILLION LIRA FOR THE PERMIT" Gül, who stated that they signed a revenue-sharing construction contract with the landowner Mus Can İnşaat in April 2015, said, "After that, we applied to the municipality with the landowner Uğur Güngör to obtain the renovation permit. At that time, the deputy mayor (Beylikdüzü Mayor) Mehmet Murat Çalık called Uğur Güngör, Ali Gül, and me to a meeting at Beylikdüzü Municipality. In the meeting, he stated that the permits were about to expire and asked for a fee of 6 million lira."
Suspect Zafer Gül claimed that Gül İnşaat and Mus Can, as partners, did not want to pay this amount, and they offered to build a place in the district, such as a mosque, health center, or park, which they would name themselves in return. However, Çalık stated that they had to pay this amount, otherwise, they would not proceed with the transaction, saying, "You make the necessary payment, we will make a donation."
Mehmet Murat Çalık "WE GAVE 13 APARTMENTS" Gül stated, "In this way, we had to make a payment of approximately 6 million lira, and we issued a promissory note in the name of Fatih Keleş at the Beylikdüzü Marble Industrial Site, along with the landowner Uğur Güngör, in proportion to the shares (42% for the landowner Mus Can in the name of Uğur Güngör, 58% for the contractors as Gül İnşaat and Gül Kentsel) and delivered it to Fatih Keleş. Later, as contractors, we and Uğur Güngör made some payments. We delivered part of this payment to Uğur Güngör's deceased lawyer at the Marble Site in Beylikdüzü. Because we could not make some of the payments, Mehmet Murat Çalık said they could take apartments instead. We gave apartments at a price determined by them per square meter. The apartments we provided were given in proportion to the shares in the revenue-sharing agreement in the project. Later, Adem Soytekin called us, saying, 'I will take the apartments, I am coming to the sales office,' and he selected the apartments from the model. Thus, 13 independent sections were transferred, with Şekerbank having a mortgage of 90 million lira in the name of the landowner."
Gül also explained the title transfers and money transfers, stating: "As contractors, we prepared the title transfers and paid the title expenses from the joint account of the three partners. The landowner sent money to Şekerbank from the joint account (the joint account of the contractors and the landowner) with his consent, and he lifted the mortgage on 6-7 of them. However, due to the ongoing lawsuit between the contractors and the landowner, he did not lift the mortgage on the other apartments. But since the landowner did not lift the mortgages, we purchased the 4 mortgaged apartments from Adem Soytekin (the official of Asoy İnşaat) for a fee to prevent the construction from being left unfinished and halted. We had no financial relationship with Adem Soytekin. We also paid Adem Soytekin money at the title office for these 4 apartments."
"THE MUNICIPALITY OFFICIALS COERCED US TO RENEW THE PERMIT" Gül stated that they submitted the renovation project to the municipality in August and September 2015, saying, "In the renovation project, the total closed area dropped to approximately 106,989 square meters of sellable area. The apartment sizes were reduced, and the number of units was increased. As a result, it was prepared as 600 apartments and 37 workplaces. The total closed area in square meters decreased. In other words, we did not have any extra benefit. The municipality officials coerced us to renew the permit."
Gül said, "In my first defense at the Büyükçekmece Chief Public Prosecutor's Office regarding the allegations, I did not mention these events. I was forced to give such a statement under pressure from the municipality officials to prevent the construction from being left unfinished and sealed. However, at this point, I wanted to sincerely and openly tell the truth. I request that my current statement be taken as the basis. For these reasons, I do not accept the accusations against me. All my statements are supported by title records and municipal documents."