Thailand Hearing To Emergency Travel Certificate: The Process To Deport Goa Club Owners | Exclusive

Last Updated:December 12, 2025, 17:35 IST

Goa nightclub fire: The Luthra brothers will be produced before a Thai Immigration Court on Friday or Monday

Goa Nightclub Fire News Today LIVE Updates: Check Luthra Brothers Deportation Image/PTI

The process to deport Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the Goa nightclub where a massive fire killed 25 on Saturday night, is on.

Within hours of the incident, the Luthra brothers fled to Thailand. The Embassy of India in Bangkok is actively coordinating with the Thai authorities.

The legal process for deportation: What government sources said

Blue corner notice: As the Indian authorities realised that the Luthras had fled to Thailand, an Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued. Although not an arrest warrant, it a tool that legally authorises local police and immigration to locate, monitor, and present the individuals before a competent court.

Passports revoked: The Indian authorities also revoked their passports under Section 10A of the Passports Act. This made sure the Luthra brothers automatically lost their lawful immigration status in Thailand, said sources. Thailand’s Immigration Act B.E. 2522 mandates detention of foreigners without valid documents

Detention centre: “After cancellation of visa, their stay in Thailand was deemed illegal and they were taken to a detention centre," they said. Bangkok Immigration Detention Centre is the designated facility for non-citizens awaiting deportation, extradition or court review under the Thai law.

Immigration Court hearing: The brothers will be produced before a Thai Immigration Court on Friday or Monday. The court will examine their validity of passport and visa cancellation and Interpol communication, where the arguments from both sides will be heard. Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra will then be deported to the port of origin from where they took their flight.

Emergency Travel Certificate from India: The court will also examine India’s formal request under Mutual Legal Assistance (MLA) and deportation framework. Thailand cannot deport a foreigner without valid travel documents. As the passports are cancelled, India must issue an Emergency Travel Certificate. Without this out-pass, Thailand is legally prohibited from placing them on any outbound aircraft. Once ETCs are issued, deportation will done under Section 54 of Thailand’s Immigration Act.

ETC requires returning the individual to the port of embarkation and that too the last airport from where they boarded the flight to Thailand. For the Luthras this is mandatory return to India not any third country.

Goa Police: On arrival in India, the two will be arrested under Look Out Circular conditions and immediately handed over to Goa Police for interrogation.

They fled while firefighting was on

The Goa Police investigation revealed that the brothers had booked flight tickets to Thailand just as emergency teams were struggling to contain the fire and rescue those trapped inside. According to officials, the booking was made through a travel port at 1:17 am on December 7, while both the Goa Police and Fire Services were actively engaged in firefighting operations.

“Even as the Goa Police and Fire Services were battling to douse the fire and rescue those trapped inside, the Luthra brothers were preparing to flee the country," officials added. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has reaffirmed that strict action will be taken against the accused, asserting that the government is committed to securing justice for the 25 people who lost their lives in the tragedy. “Our government will work to give justice to the 25 people who lost their lives…We will put them (the club owners, Luthra brothers) behind bars," the Chief Minister said on Thursday.

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“We arrested six people after the tragic fire incident. We also suspended three people and are conducting the investigation in a fast-track manner. One of the three owners of the club was arrested in Delhi, and an LOC was issued against the two other owners. We also ordered the Regional Passport Office to cancel their passports. With the help of the Ministry of External Affairs and the Home Minister, the Luthra brothers were detained in Thailand. Our team from Goa and central agencies will bring the two club owners to Goa. We will take legal action and put them behind bars," he added.

A Delhi court on Thursday rejected the transit anticipatory bail pleas of Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, saying allegations against them were prima facie “grave and serious". Additional Sessions Judge Vandana also said the “conduct" of the accused persons was another ground for dismissing the bail pleas.

The court was hearing two bail pleas by the accused persons seeking four weeks of transit anticipatory bail so that they would not be immediately arrested after their return to Delhi from Thailand.

With agency inputs

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