The Delhi High Court has instructed the Centre to notify Major Vikrant Jaitly, a retired officer detained in a UAE prison, about the Indian government’s chosen law firm for his legal proceedings abroad. This directive came during a hearing of a petition filed by Jaitly’s sister, Bollywood actress Celina Jaitly, who alleged his illegal detention in the UAE and requested legal representation and consular access for him. The Ministry of External Affairs informed the court that consular access to Jaitly has been requested, and an Emirati law firm has been authorized to represent him.
Justice Kaurav, considering these developments, directed the Centre to provide Jaitly with details of the appointed law firm to enable him to make an informed decision on his defense strategy. Jaitly’s wife mentioned in court that he opposed the law firm suggested by his sister and preferred the Ministry of External Affairs to oversee his legal representation in the UAE. The court noted the wife’s statement and emphasized Jaitly’s right to propose an alternative if he disagrees with the suggested firm.
The Delhi High Court also acknowledged Celina Jaitly’s plea for assistance for her brother, emphasizing that Jaitly’s legal rights must be protected with his informed consent. The court expressed its intention to communicate directly with Jaitly via video conferencing to ascertain his preferences for legal assistance. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on February 19 to address the ongoing legal representation issues.
