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Why was Celina Jaitly’s brother, Retd Major Vikrant, detained in UAE?
Jaitly has approached the Delhi High Court, seeking a direction to the Indian authorities to ensure necessary legal and medical assistance to her brother.
Bollywood actor Celina Jaitly’s brother, retired Major Vikrant Jaitley, was detained in the United Arab Emirates in September last year, and has been in detention for over 14 months.
Celina Jaitly moved the Delhi high court in connection to her brother's detention, seeking a direction to the Ministry of External Affairs to ensure necessary legal and medical assistance to her brother.
The actor in her plea has claimed that her brother was illegally abducted and detained in the UAE in September, 2024.
Why was Celina Jaitly's brother detained?
Centre's counsel Nidhi Raman informed the Delhi high court on Monday that Vikrant has been arrested in connection with “a case”, adding that the Ministry is in contact with his wife.
Not much is known about the case in which Celina Jaitly's brother was detained.
Raman also contended that Vikrant had been granted consular access in UAE.
Celina Jaitly was present in court, and represented by advocates Raghav Kacker, Ribhav Pande, and Madhav Aggarwal, according to an earlier HT report.
Celina Jaitly's brother had been residing in the UAE since 2016 and was employed with the MATITI Group, engaged in trading, consultancy, and risk management services, PTI news agency reported.
What did the HC say on Jaitley's plea?
A bench of Justice Sachin Datta was hearing Jaitly's plea, which sought legal assistance for her brother, real-time and direct communication between them, and regular consular access for him to monitor his well-being.
Jaitly in her plea submitted before the court that despite her brother being in detention for more than a year, the Centre had not provided her with basic information regarding his legal status or welfare. She further claimed in the plea that no phone call or verifiable communication had been facilitated between them.
After hearing the arguments in the case, the Delhi HC issued a notice directing the Ministry of External Affairs to facilitate communication between Celina and her brother Vikrant, and also asked the MEA 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 order stated.
