Celina Jaitly appeals to PM Modi to release her brother from a UAE jail

News Topical, Digital Desk : For former Miss India and Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly, the fight to free her brother, a former Indian Army officer, from unauthorised detention in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has become a reality.

Following the 2024 thriller "Jigra," she has risked everything to save her brother from a death sentence abroad, and finally, the Delhi High Court seems to be providing some relief. Now, she has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking justice for her brother.

Celina Jaitly described a long-awaited breakthrough after a Delhi High Court order allowed a UAE-based law firm to represent her. She said her brother, retired Major Vikrant Kumar Jaitly, has been in "arbitrary detention" in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for the past 17 months.

Picked up from Dubai Mall

The retired Special Forces officer and former UN peacekeeper was picked up from a Dubai mall in September 2024. His status remained unknown for nearly nine months, with no formal arrest record and no right to legal representation.

Celina learned of this on September 29th. The phone call came around 9 p.m. There is still little clarity on why Vikrant was picked up and why he is in custody.

Months later, a High Court order confirmed through complaint channels that Vikrant had been transferred to Al Wathba detention center in Abu Dhabi. Describing herself as a "fourth-generation daughter of an armed forces family," Celina Jaitly said she had taken the matter to the highest levels of Indian leadership, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

My brother is an Indian soldier.

She said, "My brother is an Indian soldier. He cannot be left alone in arbitrary detention." Selina explained that her brother, Vikrant, was involved with his wife's company. After retiring from the army, he founded the Matity Group, a company in West Asia with his wife, which worked in various fields, from information technology to cybersecurity, risk management, and HR services.

Her fight for Vikrant came amid personal turmoil. Celina also separated from her husband over her brother. Celina, who won the Femina Miss India title in 2001 and finished fourth in the Miss Universe pageant the same year, had acted in films like "No Entry", "Apna Sapna Money Money", "Golmaal Returns", "Zinda", "Thank You" and the short film "Seasons Greetings" before marriage.

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