Delhi HC dismisses Turkish firm Celebi's plea against security clearance revocation
On May 15, the Union government withdrew Celebi's clearance 'in the interest of national security', following public anger about Turkish companies supplying weapons to Pakistan.
The ground and bridge handling firm was barred from operating at several Indian airports, including Delhi and Mumbai.
During earlier proceedings, advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Celebi, argued that the company had been punished without being informed why it was being subjected to such harsh measures.
Rohatgi said this violated procedural safeguards, including those laid out in Rule 12 of the 2023 Aircraft Security Rules.
The rule grants the Director General of Civil Aviation the power to suspend or cancel security clearances and programmes, but subject to procedural safeguards.
The Turkish firm should have been given proper notice before being subjected to such measures, the advocate added.
Such 'complete violation of natural justice principles' rendered the revocation of Celebi's security clearance void, Rohatgi said.
The advocate had also objected to the decision by the Union government to submit its reasons for the revocation in a sealed cover accessible only to the court.
He said that the firm had no ties to the Turkish government and no conflicts or problems with India, adding that the revocation of its security clearance had impacted more than 10,000 employees in the country.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Union government, said that it could not have given notice of the security clearance revocation to Celebi due to national security concerns amid the conflict between India and Pakistan, Bar and Bench reported.
Mehta also said that the firm was involved in ground and cargo handling, which allowed it access to aircraft and cargo screening at several airports, including those handling VIP movements, The Hindu reported.
This prompted authorities to exercise their 'plenary powers' under the relevant law to take action, he added.
Besides Mumbai and Delhi, Celebi was operating ground handling services at the airports in Kochi, Kannur, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mopa (Goa), Ahmedabad and Chennai, according to its website.
Tensions between India and Pakistan escalated on May 7 when the Indian military carried out strikes – codenamed Operation Sindoor – on what it claimed were terrorist camps in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir.
The strikes were in response to the terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir's Pahalgam, which killed 26 persons on April 22.
The Pakistani Army retaliated to Indian strikes by repeatedly shelling Indian villages along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir. At least 22 Indian civilians and eight defence personnel were killed in the shelling.
The two sides on May 10 reached an 'understanding' to halt firing following the four-day conflict.
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