The Delhi High Court has come to the aid of Bollywood actress Celina Jaitley, who has been fighting a long battle for the release of her brother Major (retd) Vikrant Kumar Jaitley, who has been detained in the UAE for over a year. In a recent order, the court directed the Union of India to ensure that Celina’s brother gets effective legal representation and that his family is kept informed about his condition and legal status.
Hearing the petition filed by Celina Jaitley, Justice Sachin Dutta issued notice to the Ministry of External Affairs and asked the authorities to appoint a nodal officer to coordinate communication between the family and the authorities in the UAE. The actress, 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 has had only limited consular contact with her family since then. The petition said Major Jaitley, who has been working with a trading and risk-management firm in the UAE since 2016, was detained under unclear circumstances. Selena’s lawyer argued that her prolonged detention without proper access to legal representation or regular communication is a violation of her 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 – Efforts will be made to ensure that there is contact between the petitioner and his brother and the detainee and his wife. A status report be filed. Appoint a nodal office and apprise the family members regarding the status of the detainee and legal proceedings in UAE. Nodal officer to give updates to the family.”
On Bhai Dooj this year, Celine wrote a heart-wrenching note for her brother. He shared, “Your sister stands by you no matter what, no one can ever come between us. The last time I saw you I should have hugged you more tightly, maybe I should have stolen some of your t-shirts like the ones I had growing up, to wear as nighties, or maybe made maggi for you just the way you liked.” Selena further wrote, “Good news, I will see you again soon, we will add many more stories to our partnership and add many more memories in our care.”
