Turkish Firm Celebi Withdraws Petition In Bombay HC Challenging Revocation Of Airport Security Clearance
Days after the Delhi High Court dismissed its plea against the security clearance cancellation, Turkiye-based ground-handling firm Celebi withdrew its petition before the Bombay High Court;
In a significant development, the Indian subsidiary of Turkiye-based ground handling services company Celebi on Thursday, 21 August 2025, withdrew its plea in the Bombay High Court challenging the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security’s decision to revoke its clearance post-Operation Sindoor.
Appearing before a bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla, Celebi's counsel, Chetan Kapadia, sought to withdraw the plea. The bench permitted the withdrawal and accordingly disposed of the matter.
Notably, the Bombay High Court had earlier deferred the matter after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Centre, had informed the court that the Delhi High Court had reserved its verdict in Celebi’s plea and had sought an adjournment.
On July 7, the Delhi High Court upheld the Centre’s decision to revoke the security clearance of Celebi Airport Services and its affiliate, Celebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management, both operating in India under Turkish ownership. In its judgment, the court said national security was an exception to the rule of natural justice, even if not specifically mentioned in the Aircraft Security Rules. The Court therefore dismissed Celebi’s plea.
The dispute arose after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) revoked the security clearance of Çelebi Airport Services India Pvt. Ltd. on May 15, 2025, citing national security concerns. The action followed growing diplomatic tensions, triggered by Turkey’s political alignment with Pakistan during India’s Operation Sindoor.
In the last hearing, the Bombay High Court had granted interim relief by staying Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) from concluding the bidding process to replace the company for ground and bridge handling services.
A vacation bench led by Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan extended this relief to the firm, adding that the order will remain in force until the matter is heard by the regular bench after court vacations.
Turkey-based airport ground handling company Celebi’s Indian arm, Celebi Nas Airport Services India, had filed three separate petitions in the Bombay High Court challenging the revocation of its security clearance and the subsequent termination of its contracts with Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL).
The petitions had questioned the legality and fairness of the Centre’s decision to revoke the security clearance issued by the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS). Celebi Nas had contended that the decision was made abruptly, without prior notice or an opportunity for a hearing, thus violating principles of natural justice.
In addition to seeking to set aside the security clearance revocation, Celebi Nas had also moved arbitration proceedings against MIAL, disputing the termination of its contracts relating to ground handling services at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport. The company had claimed that the terminations were unilateral and had severely impacted its business operations.
Date of Withdrawal: 21 August 2025
Bench: Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla
With PTI inputs