Çelebi files plea in Delhi HC against revoking of its security clearance

Turkish firm Çelebi says it will challenge the revocation of security clearance and termination of agreements in India through all administrative and legal remedies

Turkey-based Celebi challenegd the Centre's decision to revoke its security clearance, arguing that "vague" national security concerns were cited without reasoning. 

According to the Reuters, Celebi Airport Services India, in a May 16 filing, asked the Delhi High Court to set aside that decision, arguing it would impact 3,791 jobs and investor confidence, and the Centre issued the notification without any warning to the company. 

"Mere rhetoric of national security without elaborating upon in what manner is an entity a threat to national security is unsustainable in law," the company said in the filing, which is not public. 

The order "fails to disclose any specific or substantive reason except for a vague and general reference to 'national security'... (it) provides no reasons or justification," it added.

  The case is likely to be heard on Monday.

  In its filing, Celebi said that while its shareholders were registered in Turkey, "majority end control" of the group is held by companies that do not have Turkish incorporation or origin.

  Earlier in the day, after its security clearance was revoked by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), citing concerns over national security, Çelebi Hava Servisi AS said that all available administrative and legal remedies would be pursued to challenge the unilateral termination of various licence and concession agreements in India.  

“We will pursue all available administrative and legal remedies to challenge these unfounded allegations and to seek the annulment of the aforementioned terminations,” Çelebi Hava Servisi AS said.

 

Following the BCAS decision, which was taken on Thursday, the operations of various entities of Çelebi Hava Servisi AS have been suspended. These include Çelebi Airport Services India Pvt Ltd (CASI), Çelebi GH India Pvt Ltd (CGHI), Çelebi Nas Airport Services India Pvt Ltd, Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India Pvt Ltd, and Çelebi GS Chennai Pvt Ltd (CGSC).

 

The development comes days after Türkiye extended military and diplomatic backing to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. It also condemned India’s strikes on terror camps in Pakistan.

 

Çelebi, which employs more than 10,000 people in India, currently provides ground services at nine major airports, including Delhi and Mumbai, and has been operating in the country for over 15 years.

 

In a filing to Türkiye’s stock exchange on Friday, the Istanbul-headquartered firm said four concession and licence agreements executed between its subsidiaries and the relevant Indian airport authorities had been unilaterally terminated.

 

“The Bridge Mounted Equipment Service Agreement valid until 2036 and the Concession Agreement Ground Handling Services valid until 2029, executed between Çelebi Nas Airport Services India Pvt Ltd (Çelebi Nas), 59 per cent owned by our company, and Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL),” have been terminated, the filing said.

 

Following the withdrawal of the security clearance, the shares of Çelebi Hava Servisi AS declined by 10 per cent on the Istanbul Stock Exchange.

 

Meanwhile, on Thursday, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said national interest and public safety are paramount and non-negotiable.

 

(With inputs from PTI and Reuters)