Prosecutor asks Candan sisters, arrested in gang investigation, about those names

Müslim SARIYAR/12punto.com.tr

Social media influencers Bahar Candan and Nihal Candan have been arrested as part of the third phase of an investigation into a gang that gained trust by selling vehicles seized by official institutions at low prices and subsequently defrauded customers in a major scam. Details have emerged from the court testimonies of the Candan sisters, who were referred to court yesterday with a request for their arrest and were subsequently detained.

ONUR WAS ASKED ABOUT FIRST

The Candan sisters were asked about their connection to gang leader Onur Apaydın, who was arrested on May 3. Bahar Candan said, "After breaking up with my sister, we met at well-known restaurants and venues in Etiler. We may have eaten with these individuals once, but other than that, we have no connection. I have been using this phone for a few years. We knew Onur Apaydın as Kaan. We did not know his real name. I have known him for a year. I do not accept the accusations. I request to be released." Nihal Candan also stated that she knew Onur Apaydın as Kaan Hamzaoğlu and that she only encountered him at a nightclub after they had broken up. She claimed they did not know they were a gang and that she had no connection to them.

NIGHTCLUB AND DOCTOR QUESTIONED

Among the questions asked was the name of Refik Ersin E., a gynecologist to celebrities, whose name appeared in connection with Onur Apaydın. When asked 'Do you know Refik Ersin E.?', the Candan sisters said they did not know him and had no meetings with the doctor. The ongoing testimony also included the name of the owner of a nightclub located in Etiler. The Candan sisters were asked, 'Do you know I.O.?'. The Candan sisters claimed they knew I.O. because he was the owner of the nightclub in Etiler.

DISMISSED IN 2021

The investigation, which began in 2020, continued with an operation carried out on May 3, 2023. It was revealed that Onur Apaydın, the alleged leader of the gang, was a former police officer. Onur Apaydın, who was dismissed in 2021 due to a criminal offense he was involved in, is currently in custody.

DETAILS OF THE ARREST

The Candan sisters, who were heard in court, claimed they had no connection to the gang and requested to be released. The Candan sisters, who were referred to court with a request for arrest, were detained on charges of being members of a criminal organization. The presiding judge announced the arrest decision as follows: "Considering the suspects' statements in the file, the complainants' declarations, all information and documents in the file, the presence of witness statements, and the fact that the evidence in the file has not been fully collected, it has been decided that they be arrested, taking into account the lower and upper limits of the penalty prescribed by law for the alleged act, the suspicion of flight, and the fact that it is among the catalog crimes, evaluating that judicial control measures would not provide sufficient and effective legal supervision."

News Source: Müslim Sarıyar