The claim that Murat Çalık would replace İmamoğlu, 5 apartments in Topkapı were purchased for Çalık

Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu, arrested as part of a corruption investigation launched by the Istanbul Chief Public Prosecutor's Office, is alleged to have groomed Beylikdüzü Mayor Murat Çalık to succeed him if he became president. According to testimony from Adem Soytekin, who is currently in custody, plans were made to combine five apartments in Topkapı to create an office for Çalık, but this plan was thwarted due to the ongoing operations.

The allegations were based on statements made by Soytekin, who testified to the prosecutor's office between June 17-26 and July 2, under the guise of effective remorse. Soytekin, who was released on probation after giving his statement, stated that he transferred some apartments in the Butik Panaroma project in Bahçeşehir to suspects Serdar Taşkın and Ercan Saatçi, and that these transfers occurred at the request of Murat Çalık.

In his statement, Soytekin stated that the deeds of the apartments were transferred, but he did not receive any payment in return, and that the cash payment was delivered to an employee of the suspects, Zafer and Murat Keleş, months later.

Among the allegations against Mehmet Murat Çalık, whose name was mentioned in the investigation, was that a plan was hatched to ensure he would become Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality mayor if İmamoğlu became president. Soytekin stated that the Topkapı Project planned to combine five apartments on the fifth floor to create a centrally located office for Çalık. He stated that Çalık's relative, Mete E., designed the project and that İmamoğlu would make the payment after the transfer of land in Güre, Balıkesir.

Soytekin also provided information about the meeting held in Beylikdüzü at the end of 2024. He explained that Çalık was represented by Veysel Erçevik and İmamoğlu by Tuncay Yılmaz at the meeting, but due to the operation, the transfer process did not take place and no payment was made to him.

Regarding the investigation process, Soytekin argued that some people were trying to pin all the blame on Fatih Keleş and himself, saying, "I witnessed that Fatih Keleş did not do these things of his own volition. It is not right for those truly responsible to remain in the background."

AA