Celebi Setback: Bombay High Court Allows MIAL to Appoint New Airport Handler

In a major setback to Turkish ground-handling firm Celebi, the Bombay High Court on Wednesday lifted its earlier stay, allowing Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) to go ahead with the process of selecting a new service provider for ground and bridge operations at Mumbai’s Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport.

The bench of Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan observed that continued judicial restraint was unwarranted, especially after the Delhi High Court had upheld the Centre’s decision to revoke Celebi’s security clearance earlier this month.

The Union Ministry of Civil Aviation’s May 15 order cancelled Celebi’s security clearance, citing national security reasons. The decision followed Turkey’s political support for Pakistan during “Operation Sindoor,” an Indian military offensive. The Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) had deemed Celebi’s continued operation untenable in the backdrop of these developments.

Although Celebi had approached multiple courts, including the Delhi, Bombay, Gujarat, and Madras High Courts, the Delhi High Court’s July 7 decision upheld the government’s security revocation, emphasizing the limited judicial scope in matters involving national interest.

In May, Celebi had obtained an interim stay from the Bombay High Court restraining MIAL from finalising tenders for a new handler. However, the court has now vacated that order, stating that the grounds for intervention no longer survive.

Case Title: Celebi Nas Airport Services India Pvt Ltd v/s Mumbai International Airport Limited

Order Date: July 23, 2025

Bench: Justice Somasekhar Sundaresan