Her brother, Celina Jaitly says, is a fourth-generation soldier, a man who dedicated his youth to the nation's service and received the Chief of Army Staff's Commendation for Gallantry.
It was a quiet September evening in Dubai when a long black car glided to a halt outside a crowded mall.
In a matter of seconds, chaos unfolded -- two men stepped out, pulled a man into the car, and vanished into the city's labyrinth of streets.
The man was later identified as Major Vikrant Jaitly (retd) -- actress Celina Jaitly's brother -- and since that moment, his whereabouts have remained shrouded in mystery.
Vikrant, a decorated former Indian Army officer, had been living in the UAE since 2016, working with the MATITI Group, a trading firm.
The company's website describes him as CEO and partner (global operations), and his wife Charul as managing director and partner (global operations).
Charul was with Vikram when he was abducted. According to her, the car came 'out of nowhere' and within moments, Vikrant was gone.
"We don't know," said Raghav Kacker, Celina Jaitly's lawyer.
"He was abducted. His wife saw it happen. A black car came, and they took him. It's been more than a year now," Kacker told Rediff.
It could easily be mistaken for a film script -- an abduction in broad daylight, no ransom demand, and a deafening silence from the authorities.
It later emerged that Vikrant had been detained by UAE authorities, though no charges were disclosed.
"He has no idea what the charges are," said Kacker. And it is up to the Government of India to inform us. We only know that he is detained."
By who, for what -- there is no information.
With more than 14 months passing and endless waiting, this week Celina Jaitly stepped in to save her brother.
She turned to the Delhi high court for help, filing a petition seeking information and access to her brother.
Later, Justice Sachin Datta directed the ministry of external affairs to step in, appoint a nodal officer, and facilitate communication between Celina and her brother.
The court also instructed the government to provide legal representation and file a status report within four weeks.
The next hearing is set for December 4.
In her plea, Celina expressed anguish that despite her brother's prolonged detention, she had not been given basic information about his legal status or wellbeing.
She said that only four consular visits had been allowed between May and September 2025, and that her complaint on the government's MADAD platform was marked 'closed' without resolution.
For Celina, this case is not just about family -- it's about legacy.
Her brother, she says, is a fourth-generation soldier, a man who dedicated his youth to the nation's service and received the Chief of Army Staff's Commendation for Gallantry.
'You fought for us, bhai,' she wrote in an emotional Instagram post, 'now it's time for us to stand behind you.'
She described walking out of the Delhi high court with a glimmer of hope. 'After an arduous 14 months, I have finally reached the light at the end of the dark tunnel,' she wrote in her Instagram post.
'I trust my government will do everything to protect this soldier -- a son, grandson, and great-grandson of war veterans.'
For now, the mystery remains. Who were the men in the black car? Why was Vikrant taken, and on what charges?
As the Indian government steps in, one thing is certain -- this real-life thriller has left more questions than answers for a family waiting for the man who once fought for the nation to finally come home.
© 2025