Senior Istanbul Municipality official rescued after 33-hour kidnapping

ISTANBUL

Police rescued a high-ranking official from the cultural affairs subsidiary of the Istanbul Municipality early on June 19, more than a day after he was abducted from outside his home.

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.

After approximately 33 hours in captivity, Karaal was rescued during a police operation inside a prefabricated structure at an abandoned construction site in the Tuzla district. He was discovered with bound hands and feet.

While Karaal, who was severely assaulted during and after his abduction, continues to receive medical treatment at a hospital, his attorney confirmed that his injuries are not life-threatening.

A suspect armed with a handgun was apprehended at the scene during the rescue operation.

Along with the guard watching over him, a total of eight suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the incident.

While motives and the identities of the perpetrators remain unconfirmed by authorities, media outlets reported that the abduction stems from a financial dispute linked to the municipal subsidiary, noting that the kidnappers demanded a ransom.

Among those detained are a former employee who had been dismissed from his job and two contractors who had previously done business with the municipality.

Investigations revealed that the two contractors, having failed to secure recent tenders, pressured Karaal to award them new contracts. It also emerged that the suspects called Karaal’s wife after the abduction, demanding a ransom.

Media reports highlighted that the suspects constantly changed locations to evade capture, with Karaal ultimately being found at the fourth address he was moved to.

Following the initial kidnapping report, police conducted a massive manhunt, finally locating Karaal on their 20th raid.

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.

Concurrently, June 19 saw a fresh wave of operations targeting municipalities run by the main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP). Mayors of Istanbul’s Adalar district and the southern province of Mersin’s Silifke district, along with numerous senior municipal officials, were detained on allegations of corruption.