Derya Çayırgan: Volleyball Player Arrested, Rumors of Affair with İmamoğlu

Volleyball player Derya Çayırgan has been arrested, with Turkish media reporting that she is the mistress of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem İmamoğlu. The arrest took place during an operation by the Narcotics Directorate, where a total of 19 people were arrested.

According to the SKAI correspondent in Istanbul, the pro-government newspaper Sabah reports that Çayırgan was among those arrested, while the others are accused of involvement in drug trafficking.

The news of an "extramarital affair" is being reported by various Turkish media outlets, without an official response from İmamoğlu. Furthermore, an earlier statement by the athlete was mentioned, in which she stated that she has İmamoğlu's phone number in her contacts.

Influencer Rabia Karaca allegedly testified that Çayırgan was "İmamoğlu's girlfriend," adding that the Mayor of Istanbul "took care of her."

Analysts point out that these accusations, along with claims of a fake degree and financial irregularities, are part of an effort to create a negative image of Ekrem İmamoğlu.