Turkish firm Celebi withdraws plea in Bombay High Court against revocation of airport security clearance

Mumbai: The subsidiary of Turkiye-based airport ground handling services major Celebi on Thursday withdrew its plea in the Bombay High Court against revocation of its security clearance by Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor.

A bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla allowed the same and disposed of the plea.

The Bombay HC had been deferring hearing of the plea awaiting a verdict on an identical plea before Delhi HC, which was dismissed last month.

On July 7, the Delhi HC dismissed a writ petition by another Celebi subsidiary seeking suspension and annulment of the security clearance cancellation.

Celebi's counsel Chetan Kapadia on Thursday told Bombay HC bench that the firm seeks to withdraw its plea, which the court accepted.

The petition had sought suspension and annulment of the administrative decision of security clearance cancellation granted by Bureau of Civil Aviation Security under the Ministry of Civil Aviation of India.

The HC had last month also vacated its earlier interim order restraining Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) from finalising tenders for ground and bridge handling services post termination of Celebi's contract.

A single bench had then said the interim protection granted in May cannot be continued in view of the judgment passed by the Delhi High Court in July dismissing the petition filed by Celebi against similar contract termination of the Delhi airport and revocation of security clearance.

Amid the backlash in India over Turkiye's support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, India's aviation security regulator BCAS revoked the security clearance of Celebi Airport Services India on grounds related to national security with immediate effect.

The company had moved the High Court against revocation of its security clearance and subsequent termination of its contract with MIAL.

Celebi holds 59 per cent capital of Celebi Nas Airport Services India Private Limited.