Delhi High Court directs Union of India to ensure legal aid for Celina Jaitly’s brother who was detained in UAE
In her plea, Celina Jaitly told High Court she has been unable to speak to her brother since his detention in UAE on September 6, 2024
The Delhi High Court has stepped in to assist Bollywood actor Celina Jaitly, who has been fighting a long battle to secure the release of her brother, Major (Retd.) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, detained in the United Arab Emirates for over a year. In a recent order, the court directed the Union of India to ensure that Celina’s brother receives effective legal representation and that his family is kept informed about his condition and legal status.
Justice Sachin Datta, hearing the plea filed by Celina Jaitly, issued notice to the Ministry of External Affairs and asked officials to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate communication between the family and authorities in the UAE. The actor, who appeared in person during the hearing today on November 3, told the court that she has been unable to speak to her brother since his alleged detention on September 6, 2024, and her family has had only limited consular contact since then. The petition stated that Major Jaitly, who has been based in the UAE since 2016 working with a trading and risk-management firm, was taken into custody under unclear circumstances. Celina’s counsel argued that the prolonged detention without proper access to legal representation or regular communication violates his basic human rights and international diplomatic norms.
The court has asked the government to file a detailed status report before the next hearing on December 4, 2025. Reporting the same, Bar and Bench tweeted, “Court- An attempt shall be made to ensure that contact between the petitioner and her brother is made and detained person and his wife. Let a status report be filed. Depute a nodal office and apprise the family members as regards to the status of the detained and legal proceedings in UAE. Nodal officer to give updates to the family.”
On Bhai Dooj this year, Celine penned a heartbreaking note for her brother. She shared, “Your sister stands with you, no matter what, no one can ever come between us. I should have hugged you tighter, longer, the last time I saw you, maybe stolen a few of your T-shirts to wear as nighties like I did growing up, or maybe made you Maggi just the way you liked it.” Celina went on to write, “The good news, I will see you soon again, we will add so many more stories to our sharing & so many more memories to our caring.”
