Three mayors who were detained are being accused of what? Here are the details of the operation.

05.07.2025 13:00

In three separate corruption investigations based in Istanbul, Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar and Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere have been detained. In the investigation targeting the criminal organization led by Aziz İhsan Aktaş, the mayors of Adana and Adıyaman are accused of demanding unjust financial benefits from the executives of companies doing business with the municipality. Here are the details of the operation...

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According to the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM) continues with operations aimed at capturing a total of 15 suspects within the scope of three separate investigations related to the alleged criminal organization led by Aziz İhsan Aktaş and the Büyükçekmece Municipality.

11 PEOPLE DETAINED

In simultaneous operations carried out by police teams, Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar, Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere, Adıyaman Deputy Mayor Ceyhan Kayhan, Büyükçekmece Deputy Mayor Ahmet Şahin, Şahin's driver Sonkan Turan, businessmen Hayrettin Mermer, Burak Kangal, Rabil Artan, Kazım Gökhan Yankılıç, lawyer Onur Büyükhatipoğlu, and Seyhan Municipality Office Worker Özcan Zenger were detained.

4 PEOPLE WANTED

Teams are continuing their efforts to capture 4 fugitive suspects. Search operations are also ongoing in the buildings of the Adana and Adıyaman Municipalities within the scope of the investigation.

AZİZ İHSAN AKTAŞ CRIMINAL ORGANIZATION INVESTIGATION

In the investigation against the criminal organization led by Aziz İhsan Aktaş, the statements of witnesses working in companies owned by Aktaş, who was released after giving an effective remorse statement, and the statements and documents provided by some detained suspects were examined.

ACCUSATION OF PROVIDING MATERIAL BENEFIT TO ZEYDAN KARALAR AND ABDURRAHMAN TUTDERE

In this context, it was determined that the suspect Adana Metropolitan Mayor Zeydan Karalar demanded unjust material benefits from the executives of companies doing business with the municipality during his term as Seyhan Mayor and directed individuals to the suspect Özcan Zenger, the Director of Cleaning Affairs of Seyhan Municipality during that period.

The suspect Adıyaman Mayor Abdurrahman Tutdere was also found to have demanded unjust material benefits from the executives of companies doing business with the municipality, and it was determined that money was given to Kayhan on different dates based on his direction.

In the investigation, 4 suspects were identified who were determined to have acquired vehicles and real estate with the proceeds of crime from the detained former Beşiktaş Mayor Rıza Akpolat.

In this context, a detention order was issued for a total of 8 suspects, including Zeydan Karalar, Özcan Zenger, Abdurrahman Tutdere, and Ceyhan Kayhan.

ACCUSATION OF CORRUPTION AGAINST THE DEPUTY MAYOR OF BÜYÜKÇEKMECE

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office is conducting a corruption investigation against suspects, including Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was detained and removed from the IMM Presidency, on charges of "being a leader of a criminal organization," "being a member of a criminal organization," "extortion," "bribery," "qualified fraud," "illegally obtaining personal data," and "interfering with a tender." Some suspects stated that they wanted to benefit from the provisions of effective remorse, and their statements and documents were examined.

In the statements, it was claimed that during the tenders taken from IMM and its affiliates, pressure and coercion were applied by Fatih Keleş, and that they were forced to give money to the individuals he designated.

As a result of the findings, it was determined that the mentioned money was received by Büyükçekmece Deputy Mayor Ahmet Şahin and his driver.

ALLEGATION OF ACTIVITIES AIMED AT PREVENTING ORGANIZATIONAL DISSOLUTION

In the corruption investigation against IMM, it was determined that lawyer Onur Büyükhatipoğlu was involved in activities aimed at preventing organizational dissolution by controlling and pressuring suspects during meetings with high-level executives of the organization before the operation and during prison visits after the operation.

It was learned that Büyükçekmece Deputy Mayor Ahmet Şahin, his driver Sonkan Turan, and lawyer Onur Büyükhatipoğlu were detained as a result of this determination.

- A detention order was issued for 4 businessmen who allegedly provided villas to the relatives of Hasan Akgün.

DETENTION ORDER ISSUED FOR 4 BUSINESSMEN WHO GAVE VILLAS TO HASAN AKGÜN'S RELATIVES

In the corruption investigation against the Büyükçekmece Municipality, it was determined that the suspect Büyükçekmece Mayor Hasan Akgün demanded real estate from construction companies in the district in exchange for construction permits and occupancy permits, forced some business owners to provide real estate, and that some of the acquired properties were registered in the names of his relatives, while payments were made to companies that were openly doing business with him.

In this context, a detention order was issued for the owners of the companies who were determined to have given a total of 4 villas to Hasan Akgün's relatives and firms, on charges of "giving bribes" and "receiving bribes."

MUHİTTİN BÖCEK ACCUSED OF BRIBERY

On the other hand, within the scope of the "bribery" investigation initiated by the Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, a detention order was issued for Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek and 2 suspects. In a statement from the prosecutor's office, it was reported that Böcek and his former daughter-in-law Zeynep Kerimoğlu were detained, while Böcek's son Mustafa Gökhan Böcek, who has a detention order against him, was stated to be abroad.

TWO SEPARATE BRIBERY INVESTIGATIONS

The details of the investigation have emerged. It was noted that concrete evidence related to 2 separate bribery actions was reached based on the statements of businessman Yusuf Yadoğlu, who was previously detained in another case in Istanbul and released.

8.5 MILLION TL INVOICE FOR VEHICLE WRAPPING BEFORE THE ELECTION

It was claimed that during a meeting held in Yusuf Yadoğlu's office 10-15 days before the 2024 local elections, a request was made for 25 million TL for election activities, and when this amount could not be met, an agreement was reached for an invoice payment of 8.5 million TL in exchange for vehicle wrapping services.

Relevant company officials confirmed that the mentioned dressing job was carried out as part of Muhittin Böcek's election campaign, and the payments were made through Yusuf Yadoğlu's companies. MASAK reports, bank receipts, and HTS records also reflected the statements in a consistent manner.

HOUSE WORTH 30 MILLION FOR EX-WIFE

In the second action, it was claimed that in February 2025, Gökhan Böcek purchased a house worth 30 million TL from a company named Özpınarlar on behalf of his estranged wife Zeynep Kerimoğlu, and that this amount was paid to the company in three installments by businessman Yusuf Yadoğlu.

It was determined that the bank transactions related to the payments, base records, and witness statements were consistent with the testimonies. In line with these developments, it was reported that on July 5, 2025, judicial proceedings were initiated for the arrest of Antalya Metropolitan Mayor Muhittin Böcek, his son Mustafa Gökhan Böcek, and his former daughter-in-law Zeynep Kerimoğlu on charges of bribery.

In a statement made by the Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, it was reported that search, seizure, and arrest operations were carried out within the scope of the investigation conducted regarding the two separate actions concerning the three suspects. It was shared that suspect Mustafa Gökhan Böcek is currently a fugitive abroad, and it was emphasized that the judicial proceedings are ongoing under the scope of bribery charges.

Source: AA, DHA