Following the instruction of the Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek to combat illegal betting and virtual gambling, the operations came one after another. While 10 of the 22 suspects who were detained in simultaneous raids in 5 provinces centered in Hatay were arrested, MASAK reports detected approximately 2.2 billion liras in money traffic.

In his first week in office, Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek sent a circular to the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office of 81 provinces to combat illegal betting and virtual gambling. In the published circular, it was emphasized that the fight against “illegal betting” and “virtual gambling” should be continued with determination until the end. Minister Gürlek’s words were reflected in the field. With consecutive operations carried out all over Türkiye, ‘illegal betting’ and ‘virtual gambling’ gangs were put to rest.

ACCOUNT ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN INVESTIGATED
In this context, an operation was organized in 5 provinces centered in Hatay in the illegal betting investigation carried out under the coordination of the Hatay Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office. Within the scope of the project work carried out by the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office for the crimes of “Violation of the Law on the Regulation of Betting and Games of Chance in Football and Other Sports Competitions” and “Establishing an organization for the purpose of committing a crime”, the illegal betting activities of the suspects were examined through technical monitoring and account movements.

THEY PLACED BETS IN THE OFFICE

In the account movements included in the MASAK report, approximately 2.2 billion lira of money inflow and outflow belonging to the suspects was detected. As a result of technical monitoring and financial investigations, it was determined that the suspects were placing illegal bets in 2 separate offices.

SIMULTANEOUS OPERATION IN 5 PROVINCES

Within the scope of the investigation, a simultaneous operation was organized on April 30, centered in Hatay, and in the provinces of Mersin, Antalya, Diyarbakır and Istanbul. A total of 22 suspects were caught and detained during the operation.

VEHICLES WERE ALSO SEIZED

During the searches at the addresses, a lot of digital materials, bank cards and credit cards belonging to the suspects were seized. In addition, measures were taken against 1 2021 model Audi brand vehicle, 1 2024 model Citroen brand vehicle and 1 2024 model CFMOTO brand motorcycle, within the scope of the income considered to be obtained from crime.

10 PEOPLE WERE ARRESTED

20 of the suspects, who were referred to the courthouse after their procedures at the police station, were brought to court with a request for arrest. While 10 of the suspects were arrested, judicial control measures in the form of house arrest were imposed on 10 people. Two suspects were released by the decision of the prosecutor’s office.

According to the breaking news; 6 members elected as YSK members by the General Assemblies of the Supreme Court and the Council of State took the oath and started their duties today.

Following the oath ceremony, an election was held to determine the YSK President and Deputy Chairman, whose term ends at 16.00. In the election, Serdar Mutta was elected instead of YSK President Ahmet Yener. Deputy Chairman was İsmail Kalender.

WHO IS SERDAR MUTTA?

He was born on January 1, 1974 in Kırıkhan/Hatay. He graduated from Kırıkhan High School, and after graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 1995, he did his military service as a Military Judge in Konak/Izmir.

MUTTA, who started his career as a candidate judge in Beyoğlu/Istanbul; He served as Hüyük, Uzundere, Türkoğlu Judgeships and Justice Inspector, Ministry of Justice Personnel Department Head, Enforcement and Bankruptcy Services Department Head, HSYK Deputy Secretary General and High Advisor to the Ministry of Justice, respectively.

MUTTA, who was elected as a member of the Supreme Court of Appeals on July 16, 2018, was continuing his duty as a member of the Twelfth Civil Chamber of the Supreme Court of Appeals.
He completed his master’s degree with his thesis titled “Supervision of the Administration and Ombudsman System” at Istanbul University Institute of Social Sciences, Department of Public Law, on March 7, 2001, and completed his PhD study with his thesis titled “Judicial Control in Criminal Procedure Law” at the Near East University Graduate Education Institute, Department of Public Law, on June 5, 2021. He speaks English and his work titled Supervision of Administration and Ombudsman System has been published in Kazancı Publications. He is married and the father of four children.

“We are a young girl in the prime of her life, whose future, hopes and dreams have been left unfinished. We, as the state, will pursue this matter to the end. We are trying to do whatever we can. This is the purpose of establishing this unit. To go to the end, especially in unsolved murders. While our sister Rojin is a young girl in the prime of her life, it is not clear whether the incident is murder or suicide? We need to solve this. This is our subject anyway, the prosecutor’s office must determine this. Suicide or murder. You, as the family, “You think it was murder. Of course, all aspects of this matter need to be investigated to the smallest detail.” Stating that his wife is also from Van, Minister Gürlek emphasized that he will pay close attention to the family and do whatever the state can do.

“WE TRUST OUR STATE AND JUSTICE”

Father Nizamettin Kabaiş also thanked Minister Gürlek for his interest and support and said, “We always trust, our state, you, justice. We are very hopeful.” Kabaiş said, “My daughter was very innocent,” and asked for the perpetrators of the incident to be identified. At the end of the meeting, Minister Gürlek said that the issues brought to the attention of the family and lawyers will be carefully examined by the relevant department. Deputy Minister of Justice Can Tuncay, Ministry of Justice General Director of Criminal Affairs Hazım Aslancı and Deputy Director General of Criminal Affairs Ömer Demirci also attended the meeting.

WHAT HAPPENED?

Rojin Kabaiş, a first-year student at Van Yüzüncüyıl University Child Development Department, disappeared in Van on September 27, 2024, and Kabaiş’s body was found 18 days later on the shore of Molla Kasım village of Lake Van. In the first examination, it was determined that there were no sharp or gunshot wounds on his body and there were no bone fractures. Van Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office continues its investigation into the incident. Investigations regarding the death of Rojin Kabaiş, which is among the files being worked on by the Unsolved Crimes Investigation Department established within the General Directorate of Criminal Affairs of the Ministry of Justice, continue.

YSK President Serdar Mutta said, “The Supreme Electoral Board will continue to fulfill the duties assigned to it by the Constitution and the law, in complete impartiality and independence, as it has done so far. We received the flag today. We will try to fulfill this duty in the best way possible, in line with the rule of law and constitutional principles. We will do our best to ensure that all election processes are carried out in a transparent manner within the legal framework, from the beginning to the end of the elections. On this occasion, we wish that the election held today in our board will be beneficial to our nation, Turkish democracy and our entire election organization.” “I thank you all endlessly,” he said.

Ahmet Yener, whose term of office has expired, said, “As of today, the term of office of me and 5 of our friends has ended. On behalf of all my fellow board members, I convey my good wishes to the President Serdar Mutta and our Deputy Chairman İsmail Kalander, who were elected today. I also wish the next period to be beneficial to our board members who took the oath and started their duties today. I thank all of you for the patience you have shown us. I hope the results will be beneficial to the Turkish nation, Turkish democracy and our political parties.”

WHO IS SERDAR MUTTA?

Serdar Mutta was born on January 1, 1974 in Hatay Kırıkhan. Mutta, who graduated from high school in Hatay, completed his military service as a military judge in Konak, Izmir, after graduating from Istanbul University Faculty of Law in 1995. Mutta, who started his career as a candidate judge in Beyoğlu, Istanbul; He served as Hüyük, Uzundere, Türkoğlu Judgeships and Justice Inspector, Ministry of Justice Personnel Department Head, Enforcement and Bankruptcy Services Department Head, HSYK Deputy Secretary General and High Advisor to the Ministry of Justice, respectively. Mutta was elected as a member of the Supreme Court of Appeals on July 16, 2018.

According to the statement made by the Ministry, Minister of Justice Akın Gürlek met with Tuğaltay’s mother Gülnur Saygı Tuğaltay, her older brother İlker Tuğaltay and the family’s lawyers at the Ministry of Justice. During the meeting, Gürlek expressed his condolences to the family and said, “There is a murder here. The state must solve this murder and address it. Especially the death of a young brother in the prime of his life is the responsibility of the state.” he said.
Emphasizing that, as a state, they will solve these murders and that all means will be mobilized, Gürlek said: “If there is a crime, there is definitely a perpetrator. It is our duty to solve it. In these cases, evidence must be collected as soon as possible. Just because it was not collected then, does not mean that it will not be collected now. Every trace, finding and data deemed suspicious should be re-evaluated with today’s technology and conditions.”

“DNA OF THE 12 PEOPLE WHO ENTERED THE BUILDING WILL BE EXAMINED”

Gürlek stated that the Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office found it appropriate to make a “fethi grave” for the 4 people who were suspected of Çağla Tuğaltay’s murder and lost their lives, upon the request of the family, and also stated that DNA samples could be taken for new suspects. Gürlek stated that the DNA analysis of the 12 people who entered the building later would be conducted, and that the homicide bureau teams at the time would be interviewed and the investigation authorities would evaluate whether they had any other evidence. Referring to the newly established Unsolved Crimes Investigation Department, Gürlek said:

“We are not an investigation authority, we do not have the authority to give instructions to judges and prosecutors. Our friends are professionals in this field, our friends in the unit we established, the general manager, the deputy general manager and the head of department, are professionals. We look at it from a different perspective. In order to accelerate and resolve the process, we investigate what kind of technical opportunities we have at all institutions of the state and ensure that the relevant institutions are put at the service of the investigation authorities. It is entirely at the discretion of the investigation authorities to employ the relevant institutions in this regard and appreciate the necessity of the procedures.”

By Antalya Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office; A detention order was issued for 34 suspects, including business people, within the scope of the investigation against ANSET, a subsidiary of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, which undertakes organizations such as the Golden Orange Film Festival and the Piano Festival. 27 of 34 suspects were detained. It was reported that 2 of the suspects were in prison, 2 were abroad, and efforts were continuing to capture 3 of them.

14 of the 27 suspects who were referred to the courthouse on Sunday after their procedures at the police station were arrested. While 11 of the suspects were released, a judicial control order was issued for 2 of them. Among the suspects; Muhittin Böcek, who was suspended from his duty as the Metropolitan Municipality Mayor and arrested within the scope of the ‘bribery’ and ‘extortion’ investigation, and Metropolitan Municipality General Secretary and former ANSET General Manager Cansel Tuncer are also included.

Cansel Tuncer, who was among the suspects for whom the detention order was issued, was discharged yesterday after his treatment at Akdeniz University Hospital, where he was hospitalized due to health problems. Tuncer, who was detained, was taken to the police headquarters to be questioned. Cansel Tuncer was sent to the courthouse after her procedures at the police station.

Cansel Tuncer, Secretary General of the Metropolitan Municipality, who was detained within the scope of the investigation against the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality subsidiary ANSET company and sent to the courthouse today, was arrested by the Criminal Judgeship of Peace on duty after her statement at the prosecutor’s office.