Celina Jaitly moves Delhi High Court to seek help for brother detained in UAE
According to Celina’s petition, her brother was allegedly 'abducted and illegally detained; in Abu Dhabi in Sept 2024, and the family has not been able to contact him since then
PTC Web Desk: Actor and former Miss India Celina Jaitly has approached the Delhi High Court seeking intervention from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to help her brother, Major (retd.) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, who has reportedly been detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for more than a year.
According to Celina’s petition, her brother was allegedly “abducted and illegally detained” in Abu Dhabi in September 2024, and the family has not been able to contact him since then. The plea, filed through advocates Raghav Kacker and Madhav Aggarwal, stated that despite multiple representations to the Indian Embassy and the MEA, and registering a complaint on the MADAD portal, the family has not received any verified information about his well-being.
Major Jaitly, who has been living in the UAE since 2016, was employed with MATITI Group, a trading and risk management firm.
After hearing the matter, Justice Sachin Datta issued a notice to the MEA and directed the ministry to file a status report within four weeks. The court also ordered that a nodal officer be appointed to keep the family informed about Major Jaitly’s condition and ongoing legal proceedings in the UAE.
“The respondent shall depute a nodal officer to apprise the petitioner and family members of the detainee regarding his status and the legal process. Regular updates must be provided,” the court directed, according to Live Law.
The court also instructed authorities to ensure effective legal representation for Major Jaitly and facilitate communication between him, his wife, and his sister. The next hearing has been scheduled for December 4.
During the proceedings, counsel for the Centre informed the court that consular access had already been granted to the detainee. However, Celina’s legal team said she still had not been able to reach her brother and remained unaware of his health and legal situation. The plea also argued that the MEA has a constitutional and moral duty to safeguard the rights of Indian citizens detained abroad and cannot act as a “passive observer” when one’s liberty is at stake.
Following the court’s direction, Celina shared an emotional note on Instagram, describing the order as a “long-awaited ray of hope” after months of distress.
“After an arduous 14 months, I have finally reached the light at the end of the dark tunnel. You fought for us, bhai — now it’s time for us to stand behind you,” she wrote.
She also highlighted her family’s proud military lineage, adding, “He is a son, grandson, and great-grandson of war veterans who dedicated their lives to India. My brother gave his youth to the nation, and now he needs his country to stand by him.”
Her heartfelt post received widespread support from fans and well-wishers, who expressed solidarity and hoped for her brother’s safe return.