The police chief who caught Süleyman Soylu's cousin in a casino raid faced a nightmare!

The land in Maslak, which is part of the Northern Forests and was taken from the Gendarmerie General Command and given to businessperson Ali Ağaoğlu, known for his proximity to the government, was turned into a luxury housing project called Maslak 1453 despite citizens' objections and court decisions.

The luxury offices and residences within the project were sold for astronomical prices. After a while, this place became a hub for gang leaders, especially drug traffickers.

THE PUBLIC SECURITY BUREAU CHIEF FACED A NIGHTMARE

According to the report by İsmail Arı from Birgün; the Public Security Bureau Chief, who conducted consecutive operations on the Maslak 1453 project in Istanbul's Sarıyer district, faced a nightmare.

Sarıyer Public Security Bureau Chief S.M.K. carried out successful consecutive operations on the Maslak 1453 project. He revealed how million-lira residence apartments were turned into drug greenhouses. Evaluating the tips received, he targeted the VIP casino. After long efforts, he took three police officers with him and raided the casino on March 19, 2021.

A total of 44 people, including many well-known names, tried to escape while taking the money on the tables. A total of 4 police officers, including Public Security Bureau Chief S.M.K., tried to bring the 44 people under control and prevent those who wanted to flee.

IT TURNED OUT TO BE SÜLEYMAN SOYLU'S COUSIN

Many people in the casino grabbed their mobile phones and started calling someone. One of them was Sefa Dönmez, the cousin of former Interior Minister Süleyman Soylu, who was killed on July 18, 2022. According to allegations, Sefa Dönmez called Süleyman Soylu's chief of security. After hanging up the phone, he started berating Public Security Bureau Chief S.M.K. Those who saw Dönmez shouting also walked towards the police and started yelling at them.

(Soylu's cousin Sefa Dönmez)

WEAPONS WERE ALSO SEIZED

What happened in the VIP casino that day was recorded in the police reports as follows:

“Upon the tip-off that gambling was taking place, the matter was conveyed to the duty prosecutor of the day by the officers of our bureau, and upon the order of our honorable prosecutor to conduct a search for one time only, we went to the address in question. When entering the residence, it was observed by us that the residence was specially designed for gambling, there were tables and chairs inside, those sitting around the tables were playing games, poker chips, playing cards, and foreign currency and Turkish Lira, which were later identified, were kept on the tables, and there were many people inside. No negativity was encountered during the rough body search of the individuals inside the residence, but four unlicensed pistols and cartridges were seized during the search process conducted inside the residence.

The materials used for gambling were temporarily kept by us, the necessary administrative sanction reports were prepared separately for a total of 10 people inside the residence for gambling and under Law No. 1593/282-2, and a total of 139 thousand 920 TL in administrative action was applied to a total of 44 individuals inside the residence in accordance with Article 282 of Law No. 1593. The residence was sealed by the municipal police teams, the seized criminal elements were confiscated, and an investigation into the incident has been initiated.”

Public Security Bureau Chief S.M.K., who conducted the operation on the VIP casino, processed many businesspeople, primarily Süleyman Soylu's cousin, as well as Dana 1954 FK Vice President Asaf Avcı and Trabzon Platform President Ahmet Köksal Öztürk.

EXILED 10 DAYS LATER

However, just 10 days after the casino raid, Public Security Bureau Chief S.M.K. was demoted and exiled as a group chief in the Eyüpsultan district.

Three months later, he was detained in an operation conducted by the Istanbul Provincial Gendarmerie Command.

FIRST EXILED, THEN ARRESTED

S.M.K. was included in an investigation conducted on the allegation of fraud with the promise of closing some lawsuits and investigation files. He was arrested within the scope of the case known in the public as the Eren Şar case. It was alleged that S.M.K. “established and managed an organization for the purpose of committing crimes.” However, those included in the file as victims stated in the hearings that they were not victims, that their statements were taken under pressure, and that they were subjected to ill-treatment.

"THE POLICE CHIEF INTRODUCED US"

Eren Şar, who was alleged to be the leader of the criminal organization, said in court, “I have been in prison for months. I am not as sad about my own imprisonment as I am about S.M.K.'s imprisonment. S.M.K. had a 15-year career as an officer and we had a 5-month friendship. The Sarıyer District Police Chief introduced me to S.M.K. Whether you release me in 1 year, 3 months, 6 months, or not at all, I have an income. But because of me, a man who finished his education, graduated from college, and has to take care of his family has been imprisoned for 16 months because of me.”

S.M.K., on the other hand, summarized the following in his statements:

“The Sarıyer District Police Chief called me and said, ‘A businessman like this is coming, he is a decent man. You should meet him too. He is your fellow countryman.’ I saw my chief and Eren arm in arm. We had a 4-5 month friendship and I did not do anything that could be a crime. I have been a police officer for 16 years, I know what is a crime and what is not, so I act accordingly.

The date of the pictures on Eren's phone, which are shown as evidence, is 2019. However, I met Eren in the last months of 2020. They put a sticker on the phone saying the image was taken to attribute the images in question to me. I was not involved in any act that could be a crime. I couldn't understand how I was arrested. I can't understand it, and I still haven't been able to understand it.”

SPENT 21 MONTHS IN PRISON, DISMISSED FROM THE PROFESSION

After being held in prison for exactly 21 months, S.M.K. was released on March 3, 2023. During this process, he was dismissed from the police force. Although the police officers who were understood to have spoken and received information from within the police department on Eren Şar's phone were included in the indictment, they were not tried.

THE DISTRICT POLICE CHIEF CONTINUES HIS DUTY!

The Sarıyer District Police Chief, who introduced S.M.K. to Eren Şar, continues his duty in another important district of Istanbul.

"IF I WERE A MEMBER OF THE CULT, I WOULDN'T HAVE GONE THROUGH THIS"

S.M.K., who was held in prison for 21 months and dismissed from his profession, explained what he went through to those around him as follows;

“I had become the nightmare of gangs in Maslak 1453. A liberated zone had been created there. After the last casino raid, which also included Soylu's cousin, they told me, ‘You are done for.’ Then these things happened. I said, ‘Examine my computer, my phone. Let the Polnet system also be examined. If I gave information to anyone, let it be brought out there.’ But no one cared. The crime was pinned on me. If I were a member of the cult, I wouldn't have gone through this.”