Second act in IMM operations... The reason for the detention of İSKİ General Manager Şafak Başa has been revealed!

Striking details have emerged regarding İSKİ General Manager Şafak Başa, who was detained as part of the second wave of operations targeting the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IMM).

In the operation conducted on the morning of April 25, a large number of people, including Başa, who is known to have a heart condition, were taken into custody.

Allegedly, the center of the detention process involves individuals whom Başa had previously requested protection from due to threats. In his statement to the police, Şafak Başa detailed the threats made by Muhittin Erusta and İdris Özcelep against himself and İSKİ personnel. Başa noted that following the threats, he had both filed a criminal complaint with the prosecutor's office and requested protection from the Governor's Office, a request which was granted.

THEY FILED A COMPLAINT AFTER FAILING TO GET APPROVAL FOR THEIR PROJECTS

Prior to the operation, İSKİ had sent demolition notices for TOKİ residences located in the Sazlıdere Dam Basin, which lies on the Kanal İstanbul route.

According to the statements, Erusta and Özcelep, in declarations made following the detention of Ekrem İmamoğlu, claimed that their projects were not approved because they did not pay bribes, and filed complaints against several İSKİ executives, primarily İmamoğlu and Başa.

'THEY RAIDED AND THREATENED'

In his statement, Başa also included the following details:

"Although we told İdris Özcelep that we would evaluate their requests through our legal department, he continued his threats by raiding the institution repeatedly after the negative decision. On May 28, 2024, our security unit drew up an official report regarding this situation. As a result of our application to the Governor's Office, a protection order was issued for me. Following the detention of our IMM Mayor, Özcelep came to the institution again and made threats."

In his statement, Şafak Başa was also asked about complaints regarding billboards that do not fall under İSKİ's jurisdiction and allegations of a connection with Murat İde, the former communications advisor to the IYI Party. Başa stated that the issue of billboards was not within İSKİ's scope of duty and that he did not know Murat İde and had no commercial relationship with him.