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Celebi Aviation Services told Delhi High Court on Wednesday that the company is India and the employees too, as the firm challenged the decision of Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) to revoke its security clearance. According to India Today, the senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Celebi Aviation, told the court that the company has been operating in India for the last 17 years without a single blemish and that the move to revoke clearance was arbitrary and also in violation of the principles of natural justice. It also added that the company employs 17,000 people.

"This is a matter of grave importance. My contracts with airport operators are being cancelled," he submitted.

The Justice Sachin Datta-headed High Court bench was hearing the matter against the May 15 order, which came after Turkey backed Pakistan and also criticised the strikes of India on terror camps.

Rohatgi argued that the legal framework has changed significantly since the earlier precedents and said that Justice Kurian Joseph's judgment dealt with the Aircraft Rules of 1937, which are no longer applicable. He added that there were new rules and the current position is governed by Rule 12, reports India Today.

According to the report, Rohatgi said that Rule 12 mandates that a hearing before any decision, such as revocation of clearance, is taken.

"Wherever such decisions are made, the principles of natural justice kick in. I wasn't even given notice, even though the rule says I have to be given one. I am not insisting on a copy of the reasons. I'm saying I was handicapped because the material wasn't supplied to me," Rohatgi added.

Celebi, which was founded in Istanbul, operates across nine major airports in India, including the Mumbai and Delhi airports. It handles 58,000 flights and 540,000 tonnes of cargo annually.