Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) following a plea filed by Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly. Her brother, Major (Retd.) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, has been detained in the UAE since September 2024.
Celina Jaitly has approached the court seeking a directive for authorities to provide necessary legal and medical assistance to her brother, who has been held in detention for over a year.
The court, led by Justice Sachin Datta, directed the Central Government to file a status report within four weeks and appointed a nodal officer to track the progress of her brother’s case. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on December 4.
Advocates Raghav Kacker and Madhav Agarwal, representing Celina Jaitly, argued that her brother was abducted and detained in Abu Dhabi without proper legal or medical support.
Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, who had been living in the UAE since 2016 and was employed with the MATITI Group, has been in detention for 14 months, and there have been no updates on his welfare or legal status.
The central government’s counsel responded that consular access has been granted, though Celina Jaitly’s application added that her brother’s conditions remain unclear, with no verified communication between them for over a year.
In her petition, Celina Jaitly claimed that the MEA has failed to provide basic information regarding her brother’s situation, including his health. She fears that he is suffering from cognitive decline and is without adequate legal assistance.
Regardless of her efforts, including filing complaints on the MADAD Portal and reaching out to authorities in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, she has received limited support.
The plea further asserts that the MEA has a constitutional duty to protect Indian citizens abroad, particularly those deprived of their liberty, and should take active steps to ensure basic rights, medical care, and legal representation are provided.
Celina Jaitly has requested the court to order the MEA to facilitate proper legal representation for her brother, allow direct communication between her and the detainee, ensure regular consular visits to monitor his welfare, and safeguard his rights in accordance with international law.