Former Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly on Monday penned a heartfelt note after the Delhi High Court heard her plea to offer help to her brother, Major (Retd.) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, who has been detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since 2024.
“I write this from the gates of the esteemed Delhi High Court with immense gratitude, as after an arduous 14 months I have finally reached the light at the end of the dark tunnel. I have just exited the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi, where my writ petition regarding my brother Major (Retd.) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly was heard in open court,” the 43-year-old wrote in her post on Instagram.
“Hon’ble Mr. Justice Sachin Datta issued notice in my petition & directed the Government to file a status report. He also appointed a nodal officer for coordinating all assistance & facilitating contact in the matter of my brother Major (Retd) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, Veteran Indian Army, Infantry, 3 Para, Special Forces, who has been a victim of an enforced disappearance for 9 months followed by detainment,” she added.
The former Miss India continued, “You fought for us, bhai, now it’s time for us to stand behind you. For one year I have searched for answers for you. Now I continue my prayers to our respected government to fight for you, to bring you back safely.”
The actress, who was present during the hearing on November 3, revealed to the court that she has been unable to speak to her brother since his detention in the UAE on September 6, 2024. She also mentioned that her family has only had limited consular contact since then, according to reports.
Justice Sachin Datta issued a notice to the ministry of external affairs, asking officials to appoint a nodal officer to arrange for proper communication between the family and the UAE authorities.
A petition previously filed by Jaitly’s brother stated that he was taken into custody under unclear circumstances. He has been living in the UAE since 2016 for his work with a trading and risk-management firm.
The counsel for Celina argued that the detention, without any means of proper communication or legal representation, violates his basic human rights.
Following the session, the court has asked the government to file a detailed report before the next hearing on December 4.
