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Delhi HC asks Centre to give legal aid to actor Celina Jaitley’s brother in UAE
Bollywood actor Celina Jaitley contended that despite more than a year after her brother’s detention in UAE, the Centre had failed to obtain even basic information about his welfare or legal status
The Delhi high court on Monday directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to provide legal assistance to Bollywood actor Celina Jaitley’s brother, retired Major Vikrant Jaitley, who has been in detention in the United Arab Emirates for more than 14 months.
A bench of Justice Sachin Datta was hearing the actor’s petition seeking directions to the central government to facilitate effective legal assistance for her brother, ensure real-time and direct communication between them, and provide regular consular access to monitor his well-being.
The actor, who was present in court in person and represented by advocates Raghav Kacker, Ribhav Pande, and Madhav Aggarwal, claimed that her brother had been illegally abducted and detained in the UAE since September 2024. She contended that despite more than a year having passed, the Centre had failed to obtain even basic information about his welfare or legal status.
The petition further alleged that the Centre had provided only “perfunctory consular assistance” and failed to share any substantive information or updates about her brother’s situation. Further, she claimed that she was being denied even a single phone call or any verified communication with him for over a year and that, despite exhausting every possible avenue to seek the Centre’s help for his safety, no specific or reliable information had been provided.
The Centre’s counsel, Nidhi Raman, informed the court that Celina’s brother had been arrested in connection with a case and that the Ministry was in contact with his wife. She further stated that Indian authorities in the UAE had granted him consular access.
Considering the contentions, the court issued a notice on the actor’s petition and directed the MEA to take steps to facilitate communication between the siblings and to appoint a nodal officer for the case.
“The respondents shall take steps to provide effective legal representation with respect to his arrest and detention. Let an attempt be made by the respondent to facilitate contact between the petitioner and her brother. The respondents are directed to appoint a nodal officer,” the court said in the order.
The matter would be next heard on December 4.
