Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Friday adjourned till July 10 the hearing on a petition filed by Celebi NAS, the Indian arm of Turkish ground-handling company Celebi, challenging the termination of its services by the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL).
A division bench of Justices B P Colabawalla and Firdosh Pooniwalla was informed that the company and its subsidiaries have been removed from operations at seven airports across India, including those in Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Centre, submitted that Celebi has filed similar petitions before the Delhi and Madras High Courts. While the Delhi HC has reserved its verdict after detailed arguments, the Madras HC has deferred its hearing, opting to wait for the Delhi court’s ruling due to the overlapping issues. Mehta requested the Bombay HC to follow suit and defer its proceedings until the Delhi HC pronounced its order.
Senior Advocate Chetan Kapadia, appearing for Celebi, agreed with the suggestion. The bench accepted the request and adjourned the matter accordingly.
On May 26, the court had restrained MIAL from finalising tenders issued on May 17 to appoint a new agency to take over Celebi’s ground and bridge-handling services. Celebi approached the HC after the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), under the Ministry of Civil Aviation, revoked its security clearance, leading to MIAL’s termination of its contracts.
Celebi Nas Airport Services India Pvt Ltd, in which Turkish parent Celebi Aviation holds a 59% stake, has filed three petitions challenging the revocation of security clearance and termination of the Ground Handling Services Concession Agreement and Bridge Mounted Equipment Service Agreement. The company has termed the revocation “arbitrary and illegal” and sought a stay and annulment of the Centre’s decision.
The security clearance was revoked on grounds of “national security,” amid heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Turkey, particularly over Turkey’s statements in support of Pakistan. The fallout has impacted Celebi’s operations across several major Indian airports.
