Engin Polat released

The interim decision has been announced in the Dilan Polat and Engin Polat case, which has been closely followed by Turkey.

The trial of 28 defendants, 4 of whom were in custody, continued for its 3rd day, with Dilan and her husband Engin Polat facing requests for prison sentences of 20 to 40 years each for 3 separate crimes.

Detained defendant Ahmet Gün attended the hearing at the Anadolu 2nd Criminal Court of First Instance. Other detained defendants, Engin Polat, Alper Kürşat Polat, and Sezgin Polat, connected to the hearing via the Audio and Video Information System (SEGBİS).

Non-detained defendants, including Dilan Polat, and their lawyers were also present at the hearing.

NO DETAINEES REMAIN IN THE POLAT CASE

The court panel decided to release the detained defendants Engin Polat, Sezgin Polat, Alper Kürşat Polat, and Ahmet Gün, taking into account the time they have spent in custody and the current state of the evidence.

The court ruled that judicial control measures in the form of a "travel ban" be applied to the released defendants.

Those in the courtroom greeted the release decision with applause.

OBJECTION REJECTED

The Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office rejected the objection filed against Engin Polat's release. Engin Polat and the 3 other defendants who were granted release will be tried without detention.

WHAT HAPPENED?

In operations conducted in Istanbul and 5 other provinces on November 1, 2023, and subsequently, 24 suspects, including Dilan Polat and her husband Engin Polat, were detained.

Within the scope of the investigation, 16 of the suspects, including Dilan Polat, Engin Polat, and Sinem Sıla Doğu, were arrested, and the court ordered the appointment of trustees to 27 companies.

In its monthly detention review on June 14, the Criminal Court of Peace ordered the release of Dilan Polat's siblings Can and Sinem Sıla Doğu, as well as Can Polat, Gökay Bekar, Halit Polat, Harun Abak, Metin Yılmaz, Mustafa Özalp, Nilgün Yılmaz, Uğurcan Ayyıldız, and Zekai Tepe, subject to judicial control provisions.

Dilan Polat's lawyer, Sevinç Horoz, submitted a petition to the Anadolu 8th High Criminal Court on August 19 objecting to her detention. In this context, Dilan Polat's release was ordered.

FROM THE INDICTMENT

The indictment prepared by the Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor's Office assesses that funds obtained through illegal means were laundered by being transferred without entering the system via the "cold wallet method," and that the organization also engaged in some real commercial activities thanks to the fame and recognition they achieved in a short time during these activities, thereby attempting to make tracking and control—the most prominent aspects of money laundering crimes—more difficult.

The indictment explains that money coming from illegal betting, which is proven by evidence, was attempted to be masked, and that multiple companies were established to create the image that the wealth originated from real trade. It states that during the operations of these companies, fake invoices were issued and used for non-existent business and transactions, and that external secret records were kept in addition to the books required by law to be kept.

The indictment also requests the confiscation and transfer to the public of all 31 companies included in the investigation, as well as all real estate, vehicles, and similar assets owned by these companies.

The indictment, which demands prison sentences of 20 to 40 years each for Dilan and Engin Polat for the crimes of "establishing and managing an organization for the purpose of committing crimes," "laundering assets derived from crime," and "violating the Law on the Regulation of Betting and Games of Chance in Football and Other Sports Competitions," also requests varying prison sentences for the other defendants for different crimes.

News Source: AA