Bribery allegations against Bekir Bozdağ in Ayhan Bora Kaplan case: 'I paid 400 thousand euros, they overturned my case'

The Ayhan Bora Kaplan investigation, which caused an earthquake within the Ankara Police Department, continues to maintain its place on the agenda.

In the case opened against the secret witness of the investigation and the police officers conducting it, an allegation regarding former Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ has also come to the fore.

Telephone conversations in which secret witness Serdar Sertçelik claims to have paid money to the then-Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ to have his file overturned have been added to the indictment.

Halk TV columnist İsmail Saymaz, who covered the issue in his column, criticized the inclusion of the allegations in the case without investigation, asking, "If the allegations are true, why are they not being investigated? If it is slander, why is it being included in the indictment to smear Bozdağ?"

The relevant section of Saymaz's article is as follows:

"A lawsuit was filed at the Ankara 13th Criminal Court of First Instance against six police officers who investigated Ayhan Bora Kaplan, secret witness Serdar Sertçelik, and 12 people who helped Sertçelik escape.

The indictment includes transcripts of seven separate phone conversations between Sertçelik and former Ankara Police Department Organized Crime Branch Deputy Director Şevket Demircan.

In the conversation dated April 26, 2024, Sertçelik mentions the name of former Justice Minister Bekir Bozdağ. He claims that he paid 400 thousand Euros to a law firm linked to Bozdağ through his lawyer I.Y. and that his case was overturned.

Sertçelik makes the following claims:

‘Brother I. came to the house while I was a fugitive. He called Bozdağ. At that time, Bozdağ was the Minister of Justice. Bozdağ has a law firm that he uses to handle matters from the outside... Bozdağ called brother I. to the parliament. He said, "We are going to the group meeting, come let's meet." Brother I. went and talked. At that time, I gave 400 thousand Euros to Bozdağ's law firm. They overturned my file.’

In another recording, the following dialogue takes place between Sertçelik and Demircan:

Sertçelik: Commissioner, it wasn't a non-prosecution decision, we got a retrial. I was supposed to serve 30 months in closed (prison). I was released after five months.

Demircan: Give me the name, let me take a note. I need to tell them.

Sertçelik: I.Y. spoke with Bozdağ on speakerphone while I was there. Then he went to the parliament, they met. They asked for 400 thousand Euros, I gave it. Then I was caught. I wouldn't have been caught anyway. I went to prison, I was released in the fifth month.’

In the indictment, the allegations have not been investigated.

No focus was placed on whether it was slander.

The questionable accusations of a secret witness against former Justice Minister Bozdağ were included in the indictment without being filtered.

I did what the prosecutor did not do.

I reached out to the former Justice Minister's circle and asked about the allegations.

Bozdağ's relatives say that this is slander.

They emphasize that Bozdağ does not know a lawyer named I.Y., that he does not have a law firm, and that he has no direct or indirect contact with Sertçelik. They state that Bozdağ will file a lawsuit against the secret witness for slander.

I am not arguing that Sertçelik's claims are true. However, since they have been included in the indictment, I think the necessary action should be taken.

If the allegations are true, why are they not being investigated?

If it is slander, why is it being included in the indictment to smear Bozdağ? Would a judiciary that does not hesitate to damage the reputation of a former Justice Minister care at all about the dignity of an ordinary citizen?

Let this be a lesson to Bozdağ, and to former and current Ministers of Justice..."

RESPONSE FROM BOZDAĞ: 'WHOEVER PROVES IT...'

Former Justice Minister, AKP Şanlıurfa Deputy and Deputy Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey Bekir Bozdağ, reacting to the allegations of secret witness Serdar Sertçelik in the Ayhan Bora Kaplan criminal organization case, said, "The allegations put forward by Serdar Sertçelik, the secret witness of the Ayhan Bora Kaplan file, which appeared in news published on some news sites and social media accounts, are a clear slander against me. I declare here clearly; whoever proves that this slander is true, I commit before the respectable Turkish public to donate all my assets to them."

In the continuation of his written statement, Bozdağ said, "I have filed a criminal complaint with the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office through my lawyer for the investigation of the slanders against me and the punishment of the slanderers. We have no doubts about our integrity, we never have, thank God."

News Source: 12punto