The Delhi High Court on Monday directed the Center to take steps to provide effective legal representation to actress Celina Jaitley’s brother, Major (retd) Vikrant Kumar Jaitley, who has been detained in the UAE over an alleged “national security case” since September last year.
Seeking a response from the Center on Selena’s plea, Justice Sachin Datta also ordered that they try to ensure contact between the actress and her brother, highlighting that Selena is his “only surviving direct blood relative”.
The court also directed the appointment of a nodal officer to liaise with the UAE authorities.
Selena, represented by lawyers Raghav Kakar, Ribhav Pandey and Madhav Agarwal, moved the Delhi High Court with a petition alleging that her brother was kidnapped and illegally detained in the UAE on September 6, 2024.
She claimed that over the past year she had failed to secure basic information about her brother, including his marital status and legal status, despite repeated requests and protests to the Indian authorities.
On Monday, the Centre’s lawyer told the High Commissioner that Vikrant was arrested “in connection with a national security case in the UAE” and that Indian authorities were in touch with his wife and provided him with consular access. However, Selena’s lawyer pointed out that Vikrant is separated from his wife.
Vikrant has lived in the UAE since 2016 and works for the Mateti Group, which operates in the field of trading, consulting and risk management services.
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Selena reported that in the course of the year, Vikrant was granted only four consular visits – in May, June, August and September this year. She also stated in her petition that she did not learn about Vikrant’s detention until three weeks after he was kidnapped, from his wife.
Selina stated that Vikrant “has been subjected to severe mental suffering due to his prolonged detention for over a year” and that he is “currently facing cognitive decline and other serious medical problems that will deteriorate.”
In her petition, Selina requested the court’s intervention to provide effective legal representation, secure necessary legal expenses, and direct the Indian authorities to facilitate real-time contact and communication with her brother.
The court has now reserved the matter for hearing on December 6.
(tags for translation)Delhi High Court
