Senior Istanbul Municipality official kidnapped as search underway

ISTANBUL

The deputy general manager of an Istanbul Municipality-affiliated company responsible for cultural affairs was abducted outside his home, prosecutors announced on June 18, as police have launched a manhunt to locate the senior official.

Erhan Karaal, deputy general manager of Kültür A.Ş., was kidnapped by unidentified assailants outside his residence in Istanbul’s Maltepe district at around 9 p.m. on June 17.

“Necessary instructions have been issued to law enforcement authorities to locate the victim and apprehend the suspects. The investigation is being conducted meticulously,” the Istanbul Anadolu Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office said in a written statement.

According to media reports, Karaal and his family were preparing to leave home for a visit on June 17.

Karaal exited the building ahead of his family and walked to his vehicle. While waiting beside the car, three individuals reportedly emerged from another vehicle that had pulled up nearby, assaulted him by striking him on the head and forced a black hood over his head.

The suspects then bundled Karaal into their vehicle and fled the scene. The incident was witnessed by Karaal’s child and a neighbor.

Following the abduction, the senior official’s wife reported the incident to police and filed a formal complaint.

Investigators later determined that the kidnappers used a vehicle identical in make, model and color to Karaal’s car, bearing cloned license plates.

Karaal’s wife said the last signal from his mobile phone was traced to Istanbul’s Kartal district, adding that police search efforts were continuing.

Karaal is currently standing trial without detention as part of a sweeping corruption investigation launched last year involving Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu and several other senior municipal officials.

His wife also stressed that the family had no known enemies, financial disputes or outstanding debts and said they did not suspect any particular individual of involvement in the incident.