Delhi HC upholds security clearance revocation of Turkish firm Celebi, citing compelling national security concerns

New Delhi [India], July 7 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Monday dimied a petition by Turkih ground-handling company Celebi challenging the Union Government deciion to revoke it ecurity clearance over national ecurity concern.
Delivering the judgment, Jutice Sachin Datta tated that the Court wa atified with the exitence of compelling national ecurity conideration behind the government deciion. Although the Court refrained from dicloing pecific intelligence input, it acknowledged the rik of epionage and potential miue of logitic infratructure during external conflict.
The Court ruled that mandating a pre-deciional hearing in all cae under Rule 12 of the Aircraft Rule, even in urgent ecurity cenario, would undermine the rule intent. It emphaied the need for wift and deciive action when national ecurity i at take.
Balancing natural jutice and national interet, the Court maintained that while procedural fairne i vital, the ecurity of the realm i the pre-condition for enjoyment of all other right. Given the high-ecurity nature of airport ground handling, which involve granting acce to aircraft, cargo, paenger data, and retricted zone, the Court emphaied the need for thorough vetting, particularly in cae involving foreign ownerhip.
The neceity of maintaining ecrecy around enitive document ued to jutify the revocation i eay to appreciate, the judgment noted, adding that public dicloure would jeopardize both national afety and diplomatic relation.
The cae temmed from the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) deciion to revoke the ecurity clearance for Çelebi Airport Service India Pvt. Ltd. and Çelebi Delhi Cargo Terminal Management India Pvt. Ltd., leading to contract cancellation at major airport, including Delhi and Mumbai.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Çelebi, argued that the revocation wa arbitrary and in breach of due proce under Rule 12, which require notice and hearing. He alo pointed out that Çelebi Indian operation employed excluively Indian taff and maintained no ideological or political affiliation depite it Turkih ownerhip. Thi deciion ha crippled our buine, Rohatgi aid.
Repreenting the Union Government, Solicitor General Tuhar Mehta countered that national ecurity take precedence over procedural norm, calling the cae ui generi. He cited intelligence report flagging eriou concern in Çelebi cargo and paenger operation and defended the government tance: Certain deciion, though harh, are made in the larger interet of national ecurity--and not all detail can be dicloed. (ANI)