Delhi High Court Dismisses Turkish Aviation Firm's Plea Against Security Clearance Revocation

The Delhi High Court on Monday dismissed the Turkish ground operator Celebi's plea against the Central government's decision to revoke its security clearance. This government decision led to the termination of its services at Delhi and Mumbai airports.

Celebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd and Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India Pvt Ltd manage ground handling and cargo operations at several Indian airports. Operating in India's aviation sector for over 15 years, and employs more than 10,000 people across nine airports.

The Court Case

Celebi was represented by Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi. He contended that the company had been condemned without any proper disclosure on why it was being subjected to such harsh measures, in violation of procedural safeguards, including Rule 12 of the Aircraft Rules, 2023. He had argued that the firm should have been given proper notice before being subjected to such measures, as reported by Bar and Bench. 

Rohatgi said, “The notice has to say what is the proposed punishment based on the gravamen of facts. It is not a Carte Blanche. Record reasons in writing, not in your mind.”

He added that the government should at least share a gist of its accusations with the company, not just the Court. 

Meanwhile, the Government of India, represented by Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, stood firm that it could not have given notice of the security clearance revocation to Çelebi, owing to national security concerns in the wake of the conflict between India and Pakistan, according to Bar and Bench. 

Mehta responded to the allegation, stating that Rule 12  permits cancellation of the licence where there is a potential threat.

GoI Revokes Celebi's Security Clearance 

The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) had withdrawn Celebi's security clearance on May 15, citing national security interests. The decision came days after Turkey openly backed Pakistan and condemned India's strikes on terror camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied-Kashmir (POK), sparking widespread public outrage in India, according to India Today.

The company was earlier granted clearance on November 21, 2022, under the Ground Handling Agency category.

In a statement released by Celebi denying any political connections, they said, “ We are not a Turkish government entity. Celebi’s business in India is truly an Indian enterprise, led and managed by Indian professionals, deeply invested in the country, and committed to its growth.”

India Today reported that Celebi claimed that all its facilities are regularly audited by Indian authorities, including CISF, BCAS, and AAI.

With the High Court's dismissal, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security's revocation order stands, directly impacting Celebi's operations across Indian airports.