Not Erdogan-owned, not Turkish: Celebi Aviation denies allegations after clearance revoked

New Delhi: Celebi Aviation India has denied what it called ‘false and misleading’ claims about its Turkish ties, after its security clearance was revoked by Indian authorities. The action follows public anger over Turkey’s support for Pakistan during recent tensions with India.

Amid social media speculation linking the company to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s daughter, Sumeyye Erdogan, Celebi issued a statement saying it is neither Turkish-owned nor politically connected. “We completely reject these baseless rumours,” the company said, clarifying that no member of Erdogan’s family has any stake in the business.

The company said it is owned by Can Celebioglu and Canan Celebioglu from the Celebioglu family, who have no political affiliations. “We are a global aviation services company governed professionally, with no ties to any foreign government or political entity,” it added.

Celebi also clarified that it is not solely Turkish-owned. Around 65% of its parent firm is held by institutional investors from countries like Canada, the US, UK, UAE, Singapore, and across Western Europe. A Jersey-based fund, Actera Partners II L.P., holds 50%, while 15% is with Dutch-based Alpha Airport Services BV.

The clarification comes after India revoked Celebi’s security clearance to operate at Delhi Airport’s cargo terminal, citing national security concerns. In response, Celebi said it strictly follows Indian laws and undergoes regular audits by Indian authorities, including the CISF, BCAS, and AAI.

“We are fully committed to India’s aviation growth and confident that truth and transparency will defeat misinformation,” the company said.

The crackdown follows strained India-Turkey relations after Ankara supported Pakistan and criticised India’s armed forces during Operation Sindoor, which was launched in response to the Pahalgam terror attack.

Celebi currently handles critical ground and cargo services at nine major airports across India, including in Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. These tasks involve high-security operations regulated closely due to their sensitive nature.