A man who vanished rather than serve a three-year prison sentence has finally been caught in Istanbul, after eight years on the run. According to local media reports, Tuğrul Başar spent that time living as a woman, and the change was so complete that police could no longer rely on the photos they had on file.
A conviction and a disappearance
Başar was found guilty on three counts of theft committed while posing as an official in 2010. He received a three-year prison term, but he escaped authorities and avoided serving it.
For years the case went nowhere. Investigators were still looking for a man, and the only images they held were male booking photographs that were by then eight years old.
A new life in hiding
Local reports say Başar lived as a transgender woman for the whole period in hiding, and kept a transformed feminine presentation. The difference was dramatic enough that police had to rethink how they searched.
Instead of leaning on the old pictures, officers adjusted their approach and carried out more intensive surveillance focused on the fugitive’s updated way of life. The investigation was described as exhaustive and undercover.
Bașar is also reported to have travelled around Istanbul using the official Turkish identity card of a biological sister. By showing the document as if it were their own, they are said to have passed security checks without trouble.
The raid in Kadıköy
The chase ended when officers moved in on the busy Kadıköy neighbourhood of Istanbul. They took fingerprints at the scene, and those confirmed the suspect’s identity.
Başar was taken to the Kadıköy Pier Police Station and then placed in custody. Authorities say the original three-year sentence for the 2010 thefts will now be served in full.
More trouble ahead
The arrest may not be the end of the legal problems. A separate criminal investigation has been opened in Istanbul over the suspected fraudulent use of someone else’s personal identification details.
If prosecutors go ahead with charges of identity theft and document forgery, Başar could face substantial extra time behind bars on top of the theft conviction.
Which prison?
The case has also raised a question about where the sentence will be served. Turkish media, including Karar, reported that Başar is expected to be held in a male correctional facility.
The reason is legal rather than personal. In Turkey, prisoners are assigned according to the gender on their official identification documents, not their physical appearance or how they identify. Başar reportedly transitioned both socially and physically during the eight years as a fugitive, but never went through the court-approved process to change a name or gender in the civil records.
Because the government-issued ID was never updated, the Ministry of Justice still recognises him as male. That means he must complete his sentence in a men’s prison.
How things stand
After eight years of staying one step ahead, Başar is now in the hands of the authorities. The original sentence is waiting, and prosecutors will decide whether to bring further charges over the use of another person’s identity card.
Image credit: DHA
Source: The Mirror US
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