Ayhan Bora Kaplan investigation: Questions posed to 3 police chiefs

New developments have occurred in the police-related aspect of the investigation into organized crime leader Ayhan Bora Kaplan in Ankara. Searches were conducted yesterday at the homes of three suspended high-ranking police chiefs, a commissioner, and a police officer. Civil service chief inspectors are involved. The investigation is seeking answers to questions such as "who the secret witness M7 was allowed to meet with while in custody, how he escaped with an electronic tag, and why attempts were made to include the names of certain politicians and bureaucrats in the file."

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Ayhan Bora Kaplan investigation: Questions posed to 3 police chiefs

The most critical secret witness in the organized crime leader Ayhan Bora Kaplan case, Serdar Sertçelik, was first exposed and then fled abroad.

Secret witness Sertçelik, codenamed "M7" in the file, made shocking allegations regarding the Ankara Police Department's Organized Crime Bureau, which is conducting the investigation, after fleeing abroad. Claiming that he was forced to become a secret witness under threat, Sertçelik also released audio recordings of his phone conversation with Police Chief Şevket Demircan.

Claiming that a conspiracy was being plotted through him, Sertçelik alleged that the police were also trying to include in the file the names of many individuals who previously served as ministers in the AK Party, as well as some bureaucrats currently in active duty. Sertçelik also claimed that the Organized Crime Bureau teams were trying to stage a coup through him with this operation, which they called "Operation Clean Hands."

YERLİKAYA GAVE THE INVESTIGATION ORDER

Following these events, an investigation was launched upon the instruction of Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya, and civil service chief inspectors were assigned to investigate the allegations. On May 8, the inspectors took the statements of Deputy Ankara Police Chief in charge of Organized Crime Murat Çelik, Organized Crime Branch Manager Kerem Gökay Öner, and Deputy Manager Şevket Demircan.

Following the interrogation process that lasted all night, all 3 managers were suspended on May 9. It was learned that the civil service chief inspectors asked critical questions such as, "Why were attempts made to include the names of politicians and bureaucrats who have no connection to the investigation through the secret witness in the file, were instructions received from above for the operation, how were the names told to the secret witness to be mentioned in his statement determined, who else besides police officers was involved in this process, and was an instruction received from outside?"

DIGITAL MATERIALS SEIZED

Within the scope of the investigation initiated by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, searches were conducted in the homes and vehicles of the suspended Deputy Ankara Police Chief in charge of Organized Crime Murat Çelik, Organized Crime Branch Manager Kerem Gökay Öner, Deputy Manager Şevket Demircan, as well as Commissioner Ufuk Gültekin and Murat Çelik's driver Yılmaz Öztürk, who are assigned to the Organized Crime Branch. Some digital materials were seized during the searches conducted by the Ankara Police Counter-Terrorism Branch teams.

It was learned that the investigation was conducted regarding the crimes of "agreement to commit a crime" under Article 316, which falls under the heading of rebellion against the Government of the Republic of Turkey, "disclosure of secrets related to duty" under Article 258 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK), "attempt to influence the judiciary, expert witnesses, or witnesses" under Article 277 of the TCK, "aiding and abetting a criminal" under Article 283 of the TCK, and "violation of confidentiality" under Article 285 of the TCK.

Article 316 of the TCK, under which the investigation is being conducted, covers committing any of the crimes against the security of the state and the constitutional order, and the functioning of the constitutional order, unlike forming an organization to commit crimes and other organizational crimes.

ENGİN DİNÇ TO BE REMOVED FROM OFFICE

According to the report by Fevzi Kızılkoyun from Hürriyet, it was learned that Ankara Police Chief Engin Dinç will be removed from office. Dinç, who became the Ankara Police Chief with the decree published on August 1, 2023, had previously served as Head of the Intelligence Department, Eskişehir Police Chief, and finally as Konya Police Chief.

It is also noteworthy that Engin Dinç's name has been mentioned in many events that have occupied Turkey's agenda.

Dinç, who was tried in the Hrant Dink murder case, was the Head of the Intelligence Department when the Ankara Train Station bombing occurred.

Dinç, who came to the agenda again with an academic murder during his time as Eskişehir Police Chief, saw an attack on a Kurdish family during his time as Konya Police Chief, in which 7 people, 3 of whom were women, were killed.

News Source: 12punto