The beauty salon owned by social media influencer Banu Parlak, located in Bahçeşehir 1. Kısım Nature Park, was shot by motorcycle suspects on October 1, 2023, between 02:00 and 04:30.
The trial of the case prepared regarding the incident, in which Dilan, Engin, and Sezgin Polat were demanded to be punished for the crime of ‘incitement’, continued at Küçükçekmece Courthouse.
After the defense of Dilan and Engin Polat, Sezgin Polat, Engin Polat’s father, denied the charges by stating, “I have no relation to the shooting of Ms. Banu’s shop.”
One of the defendants who shot Banu Parlak’s business, Nizamettin Bilgili, said, “I saw these people for the first time here. I was drunk at home on the day of the incident. Yunus Emre came. He said, ‘Will you shoot the workplace?’ Because of the influence of alcohol, I hesitated, accepted, took the location, and went. The gun jammed at first. I fired 4 shots.”
The arrested defendant Yunus Emre Yıldız said, “I only know the name Polat from television. I don’t know Banu Parlak. I lost my father at a young age. The burden of the house was on me. We were told that no harm would come to any living being. It was said that only the windows would be lowered. We also needed money. We did this job only for money. We also messed that up with our hands and faces.”
During the testimonies, Dilan Polat turned to her daughter and started crying, saying, “I love you very much.” Following the defendants, the plaintiff Banu Parlak made a statement. Parlak stated that her complaint continued and recounted how Dilan Polat called her on the night her shop was shot.
Banu Parlak said, “Dilan told me, ‘They took Sıla inside. They will take Engin and me, look, don’t do it.’ That night my shop was shot. I said I made a story, went to the store. It was shot again. I do not think this crime is damage to property.” Referring to Engin Polat’s statement that he did not know her, Parlak said, “Engin says he doesn’t know me, but we have videos with Engin that I can submit to court.”
Banu Parlak, who said she was friends with Dilan Polat until 2019, stated, “All the events started when I opened a beauty salon. After this shooting incident, my stores closed. I care more about my daughter’s safety than myself.”
When asked about Banu Parlak’s statements, Dilan Polat said, “I watched in shock. I think she did this solely to target and defame me. I am a person who operates 130 branches in public view.”
Engin Polat said, “She has never been on the sidelines or corners of my life. She has put herself at the center of our lives. I do not know her.”
Meanwhile, after the testimonies of the plaintiff, Dilan Polat cried while hugging her daughter in the courtroom. The judge asked for tissues to be given to Polat. During the trial, the Prosecutor Barış Boyun, requested the wait for the execution of the warrants for the arrest of Batın Can Gökdemir and Beratcan Gökdemir, and the continuation of the detention of the arrested defendants.
A recess was taken in the trial for an interim decision. The court, upon announcing its interim decision, decided to continue the detention of the arrested defendants and waited for the execution of the warrants for arrest, merging the file with the file at Istanbul 41st Heavy Penal Court. The trial was adjourned.
Upon hearing the decision to continue detention, Dilan Polat had a nervous breakdown. Shouting ‘call’, she left the courtroom with the gendarmerie.
