‘Would have been hazardous to let aviation firm Celebi continue’: Centre defends BCAS decision in Delhi HC

The Centre’s decision to revoke the security clearance granted to Turkish-founded ground-handling firmCelebi Airport Services was taken following “inputs” received by the government.

That it would be “hazardous” to allow the firm to continue operations at airports, the union government told the Delhi high court on Monday. The government’s stand came in the course of a hearing by justice Sachin Datta on Celebi’s petition challenging the order issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) on May 15.

Çelebi, represented by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, told the high court that the company had been carrying out operations without any blemish for 17 years and the decision was taken based on a public perception that the company’s shareholding consisted of Turkish nationals.

Rohatgi said that public perception could not be a ground to take away the employment of 14,000 employees and Celebi was not a “rogue company.”

Solicitor general Tushar Mehta contested the claim. “The government had inputs, and it was found necessary that it would be hazardous in this scenario in which the country is, to leave this activity in the hands of this company,” Mehta said, handing over a document to the single bench in sealed cover.

Mehta said the disclosure of reasons behind the BCAS order would be counter productive and prejudicial to national interest, sovereignty and security

Following Mehta’s submission, justice Datta perused the “inputs” that were presented to court in a sealed cover. The court posted the matter for further hearing on May 21.

In its plea, the company said the BCAS decision to revoke its clearance by merely citing national security, without specific justification, was “vague” and “unsustainable in law.”

Till last week, Celebi provided ground-based services at nine airports across India – Delhi, Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Cochin, Kannur, Chennai, and the MOPA airport in Goa.

The petition claimed BCAS’s order failed to disclose how Celebi posed a threat to national security. “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, Reuters reported

The revocation of the security clearance follows mounting tensions between India and Turkey over the latter’s diplomatic and military ties with Pakistan. The development triggered a scramble at the nine airports in which the firm operated, including Delhi and Mumbai, to ensure services were not disrupted.