Modi ji, bring soldier back: Celina Jaitley in tears over brother's UAE detention

Actor Celina Jaitley has sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention to secure the release of her brother, Major Vikrant Jaitley, a former Indian Army Special Forces officer who has been detained in the United Arab Emirates since September 2024.

In an interview with India Today TV's Gaurav Sawant, Celina Jaitley broke down while recounting her brother’s detention and the lack of information surrounding his arrest. The matter reached the Delhi High Court, which has now directed the Ministry of External Affairs to appoint a legal firm to represent Major Jaitley in the UAE. Following the court’s order, UAE-based law firm Khalid Almarie Partners and Advocates has stepped in to provide legal assistance.

Major Vikrant Jaitley, a retired Special Forces commando, has been in custody in the UAE for over 16 months. Celina Jaitley told the court that her brother was “illegally taken and detained” without any formal information about his legal status, welfare, or charges for months. She said that only in June 2025 did she learn that he had been moved to Al-Wathba Detention Centre in Abu Dhabi.

According to Celina Jaitley, her brother was picked up from the Mall of the Emirates parking area by unidentified individuals who asked for his Emirates ID and took him away in a black car. She said there was no official arrest record for nearly nine months.

“He was taken without any explanation. There was no record of arrest, no access to legal counsel, no communication. I didn’t even know where my brother was,” she said.

Major Jaitley was working with Matiti Group International, a company founded by his wife in 2016, with operations in human resources, risk management, and information technology. Celina Jaitley said the only information she has received so far is a prosecution number and a vague reference to “national security,” without any clarity on the allegations.

“I only know one term — national security. That’s it. Nothing else. No charges, no prosecution details,” she said.

Celina Jaitley said she repeatedly contacted the Indian mission in the UAE and the MEA in New Delhi but received no response until she filed a grievance on the MADAD portal in November 2024. Even then, she said the responses were “templatised” and did not provide concrete details.

“I was only hearing from a portal, not from people. For a sister looking for her brother, that is devastating,” she said.

After approaching the Delhi High Court in October 2025, Celina Jaitley said the court’s intervention brought some movement. The High Court also directed that efforts be made to facilitate a phone call between the siblings, which she said has not yet happened.

The court’s latest order directing the MEA to appoint a legal firm has led to Khalid Almarie Partners and Advocates agreeing to represent Major Jaitley pro bono. Celina Jaitley said multiple law firms had earlier demanded “millions of dirhams,” which she could not afford due to ongoing personal and financial difficulties.

“They said they want to do this for our soldier. They believe in justice beyond borders and dignity,” she said.

Addressing concerns raised in court about differing views within the family on legal representation, Celina Jaitley said no firm had been appointed for over 16 months despite multiple options being shared.

“A soldier of our country is in a foreign jail without prosecution. Why should we delay legal aid any further?” she said.

Celina Jaitley appealed directly to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the interview, citing his support for the armed forces.

“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,” she said.

Drawing parallels with the detention of former Indian naval officers in Qatar, Celina Jaitley said the pattern appeared similar and required high-level intervention.

“Our soldiers are not just numbers. The nation must stand behind them,” she said.

Ending the interview with an emotional message to her brother, Celina Jaitley said, “Didi is with you. The whole country is with you. I will move mountains to get you back. Jai Hind.”