The Delhi High Court has dismissed the plea filed by Turkish-origin ground handling company Celebi Airport Services, which challenged the cancellation of its security clearance by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). The order effectively bars the company from operating at several major airports across India.
Justice Sachin Datta, while pronouncing the verdict on Monday, said: “I’ve dismissed the petition.”
The BCAS revoked Celebi’s security clearance on May 15, amid rising geopolitical tensions between India and Turkey, particularly concerning Turkey’s diplomatic and military engagements with Pakistan.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing on behalf of Celebi, argued that the revocation was arbitrary and lacked procedural fairness. He claimed that the order was passed without prior notice or a hearing, violating Rule 12 of the Civil Aviation Security Rules, and thus amounted to a breach of natural justice.
Rohatgi emphasized that the BCAS Director General does not have the authority to unilaterally issue such a “farman” (diktat) and that the decision had crippled the company's operations, leading to termination of multiple ground and cargo handling contracts across Indian airports.
On the other hand, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, defended the decision, stating that the cancellation was necessary due to a potential security threat under prevailing national circumstances. He argued that the reasons behind the move could not be disclosed, as doing so would undermine the very intent of the action.
Mehta also pointed out that Celebi, during the renewal of its security clearance in November 2022, had acknowledged that the clearance could be revoked without specific explanation. He asserted that the BCAS DG possessed plenary powers to take such steps in the interest of national security, even without prior notice.
With the court upholding the government's stand, Celebi now faces continued operational disruptions unless further legal remedies are pursued.
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