Celina Jaitly brother update: Actor Celina Jaitly has made a public appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to intervene and help secure the release of her brother, Major (retd) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, who has been in the custody of UAE authorities since September 2024.
Speaking to India Today, Celina expressed anguish over the lack of clarity surrounding his detention and said the family continues to receive little official information about the case.
Celina Jaitly appeals to PM Modi to help secure brother’s release
According to Celina, she recently learnt that her brother had been shifted to the Al-Wathba Detention Centre in Abu Dhabi. She said Major Vikrant, a former Indian Army Special Forces officer, was picked up from the Mall of the Emirates parking area by unidentified individuals who asked to see his Emirates ID before detaining him. Since then, the family has struggled to understand the grounds of his arrest.
“A soldier of our country is in a foreign jail without prosecution. Why should we delay legal aid any further? My request to Modiji is to please bring this soldier back. He has given his entire youth to the nation. If he had done something wrong, there would have been a prosecution by now,” Celina said.
She went on to stress that Indian soldiers should not be treated as statistics. “They are not just numbers. The nation must stand behind them,” she said, adding an emotional message addressed directly to her brother: “Didi is with you. The whole country is with you. I will move mountains to get you back.”
Delhi High Court allows UAE-based legal representation
The actor also welcomed a recent development from the Delhi High Court, which has brought some relief to the family. The court permitted the appointment of a UAE-based legal firm to represent Major Jaitly, who has been detained for nearly 18 months. The order allows advocates in the UAE to appear on his behalf, giving the family renewed hope after months of uncertainty.
As part of its directive, the court instructed the Ministry of External Affairs to issue an order appointing Al Maree Partners as legal representatives for Major Jaitly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The law firm has agreed to handle the matter free of cost. The next hearing in the case is scheduled for February 10.