Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly has been fighting a long battle to get her brother, (Retd.) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, released from detention in the UAE. Now, the Delhi High Court has stepped in to assist the actress in her efforts to free her brother, who has been detained in the Middle Eastern country for over a year. As per a latest 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.
Delhi HC intervenes in Major Jaitly`s detention
Celina’s plea was heard by Justice Sachin Datta, who issued a 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. Celina appeared before the court on November 3 and claimed that she has not been able to speak to her brother since his detention on September 6, 2024, stating that the family has had only limited consular contact since then.
Celina`s family not allowed to contact her brother
According to the petition, Major Jaitly has been in the UAE since 2016, working with a trading and risk-management firm. It is not clear under what circumstances he was taken into custody. Celina’s counsel argued that her brother’s detention without proper access to legal representation or regular communication violates his basic human rights and international diplomatic norms.
The Delhi High Court has scheduled the next hearing for December 4, 2025, and has asked the government to file a detailed status report by then. A report in Bar and Bench read, “An attempt shall be made to ensure that contact between the petitioner and her brother is established. Let a status report be filed. Depute a nodal officer and apprise the family members about the status of the detained person and legal proceedings in the UAE. The nodal officer shall give regular updates to the family.”
Celina pens an emotional note for her brother
On Bhai Dooj this year, Celina penned an emotional note for her brother, “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. The good news is, I will see you soon again. We will add so many more stories to our sharing and so many more memories to our caring,” she wrote.
