'Enemy has to succeed once, India must always': Govt on why Turkish co’s security clearance pulled

In the hearing in the case of cancellation of Turkish company Celebi’s security clearance, the Union government has told the Delhi High Court that the enemy has to succeed only once whereas India must succeed every time.

The government has argued that there were credible intelligence inputs that led to the decision of cancelling Celebi’s security clearance on national security grounds. The grounds submitted the information about the inputs to the court in a sealed envelope.

After it became clear that Turkey was on Pakistan’s side in the India-Pakistan conflict this month, the Union government revoked security clearance of Turkish ground service provider Celebi. The cancellation essentially brought operations of Celebi to a halt in India. At crucial airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Goa, Cochin, and Kannur, the company was engaged in ground handling services.

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Govt cites intelligence inputs to block Celebi

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta on behalf of the Union government told the Delhi HC that there could not be a doctrine of proportionality in matters of national security as the enemy just had to succeed once whereas the security apparatus had to succeed every time.

“The enemy can try 10 times and succeed once; the country has to succeed all the time… in cases of civil aviation and national security, there cannot be a doctrine of proportionality,” said Mehta, according to The Times of India.

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Mehta said that the handling of cargo and other things at airports are “extremely sensitive operations” where personnel know and have access to “every nook and cranny of the airport”.

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Mahta said that intelligence inputs indicated that allowing Celebi, as per the security clearance, to continue operating posed significant risks.

While Celebi asked for the evidence to corroborate the claim, Mehta submitted the information in sealed cover.

On his part, Celebi’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi said that the government acted “because of public perception due to shareholding of the company by Turkish nationals”. He said that it is “an Indian company with Indian employees” and that “we are not a rogue company”. He further argued that the security clearance was cancelled without giving the company any reason or providing it any opportunity for a hearing.