Overview
- Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav declined to view the case as a family quarrel and urged Celina and Charul Jaitly to act in tandem for Vikrant’s case.
- MEA counsel Nidhi Raman told the court Vikrant is regularly interacting with officials, prefers to speak with his wife rather than his sister, and is scheduled for another interaction on February 13.
- The MEA will propose four UAE law firms, including options suggested by the wife, for Vikrant to select, with the ministry noting it is stuck without a signed power of attorney.
- The court rejected a request to curb media coverage, reiterating that only open-court proceedings may be reported and directing both women not to speak to the press without permission.
- The next hearing is set for February 17, with Vikrant detained in the UAE for about 18 months as his relatives coordinate through the MEA and the Indian mission.