Celina Jaitly requests PM Modi to help secure release of her brother detained in UAE: ‘If he had done wrong…’

Celina Jaitly said that Indian soldiers "are not just numbers", adding that the "nation must stand behind them.”

Actor Celina Jaitly, whose brother Major (retd) Vikrant Jaitly is in the custody of UAE authorities, has requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to secure his release. Speaking with India Today, Celina talked about the lack of information about his arrest. Major Vikrant, a former Indian Army Special Forces officer, has been detained in the United Arab Emirates since September 2024.

Celina Jaitly urges PM Modi to help release her brother

Celina Jaitly with brother Major (retd.) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly in an old photo.

Celina said that recently she learnt that he had been moved to Al-Wathba Detention Centre in Abu Dhabi. According to her, he was picked up from the Mall of the Emirates parking area by unidentified people who asked for his Emirates ID.

“A soldier of our country is in a foreign jail without prosecution. Why should we delay legal aid any further? My request to Modiji is to please bring this soldier back. He has given his entire youth to the nation. If he had done something wrong, there would have been a prosecution by now,” she said.

She continued that Indian soldiers "are not just numbers", adding that the "nation must stand behind them.” In a message to her brother, she added, “Didi (Sister) is with you. The whole country is with you. I will move mountains to get you back.”

What did the Delhi High Court say on the matter

The court directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to issue an order to a legal firm, Al Maree Partners, to represent Celina Jaitly's brother, Major (retd.) Vikrant Jaitly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The law firm is ready to handle the matter free of cost. The next date is February 10.