Actor and UN Equality Champion Celina Jaitly has filed a writ petition before the Delhi High Court seeking the Court’s intervention to secure legal, medical, and diplomatic assistance for her brother, Major (Retd.) Vikrant Kumar Jaitley, who has been allegedly detained in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) since September 2024.
The petition has been filed through Advocate Madhav Aggarwal and is being led by Advocate Raghav Kacker as arguing counsel. Ms Jaitly has invoked the writ jurisdiction of the Court under Article 226 of the Constitution of India, asserting that the MEA has a continuing constitutional and international obligation to protect Indian citizens detained abroad.
The petition prays for:
- Immediate provision of effective legal representation to Maj. (Retd.) Jaitley regarding his arrest and detention in the UAE;
- Assistance or financial support from the MEA in meeting necessary legal expenses;
- Facilitation of direct and real-time communication between Celina Jaitly and her brother;
- Urgent steps through diplomatic channels to ensure proper medical treatment and humanitarian care;
- Regular consular monitoring of his welfare, access to legal assistance, and updates to the petitioner; and
- Active engagement with UAE authorities to ensure that the detainee’s rights are upheld in accordance with international law and the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, 1963.
Jaitly’s plea asserts that despite over a year of representations to the Indian Embassy, Consulate, and the Minister of External Affairs, the family has received no substantive information about Maj. Jaitley’s condition or legal status. She contends that the government’s inaction violates the fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 and India’s duty to safeguard its citizens detained abroad.
The matter will heard by the Delhi High Court tomorrow.