Bollywood actor Celina Jaitly has been demanding answers over the detainment of her brother, Maj (Rtd) Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, in the United Arab Emirates since September last year.
In a fresh update on the case as shared by news agency ANI, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday directed the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to issue an order to a legal firm, Al Maree Partners, to represent Celina Jaitly’s brother, Major (retd.) Vikrant Jaitly in Dubai and Abu Dhabi. The law firm is ready to handle the matter free of cost.
What is the latest update?
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav has issued the direction on the petition of Celina Jaitly. The High Court said that if there is an impediment in issuing the order, mention it in an affidavit. The next date scheduled for this case is February 10.
The name of the firm was suggested by the actor’s counsel, Raghav Kacker, assisted by Advocates Madhav Agrawal and Suradhish Vats. It was submitted that the legal firm is willing to represent Major (Retd.) Vikrant Jaitly is provided free of charge (pro bono). They have obtained the case details independently.
More details
The submissions were opposed by the counsel for the MEA. It was stated that the firm’s name is included in the list of four legal firms suggested by Vikrant Jaitly. It was also stated that Vikrant Jaitly told embassy officials that the decision to engage a legal firm would be made by his wife, Charu Jaitly.
It was revealed that her counsel opposed and argued that the respondents are suppressing the fact that transpired in the email. He doesn’t want to talk to his wife, Celina’s counsel submitted.
The court said that the firm is willing to represent him without any expenses. “What is the impediment if the name is suggested by his father, mother or sister?”
The actor’s petition claimed that her brother had been illegally abducted and detained in the UAE since September 2024. She contended that despite more than a year having passed, the Centre had failed to obtain even basic information about his welfare or legal status.
On November 3, last year, the court had directed the Union Ministry of External Affairs to provide legal assistance to Vikrant, to take steps to facilitate communication between the siblings, and to appoint a nodal officer for the case.
