Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI: The repatriation of Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra — wanted in connection with the Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives — has hit a procedural hurdle, with Thailand unable to deport the brothers until India issues an Emergency Travel Certificate (ETC), senior officials confirmed.
The Luthras, who had travelled to Thailand before the incident, were detained by Thai immigration authorities after the Indian government revoked their passports under the Passports Act. The cancellation, carried out to prevent any onward travel to a third country, left them without valid identification documents, automatically rendering them illegal residents in Thailand.
Officials familiar with the case said the next step is crucial: the issuance of an ETC, commonly called an outpass, by the Indian mission. Under international norms, a country cannot deport a foreign national who lacks a valid travel document unless their home country provides an alternative certificate. “The deportation is committed, but the paperwork must be complete. Thailand is waiting for India to send the travel certificate,” an official source said.
While New Delhi is pushing for the process to be fast-tracked, Indian officials acknowledge that Thai legal procedures — including formal orders from local courts — must be adhered to before the brothers can be placed on a flight back to India. As a result, the timeline ultimately depends on Thailand’s internal protocols, despite India’s requests for urgency.
Diplomatic sources said the decision to revoke the passports was deliberate, aimed at blocking any attempt by the brothers to flee elsewhere or manipulate their travel history. “Cancelling the passports was essential to ensure they could not leave Thailand or move internationally,” a source said.
For now, the Luthra brothers remain in Thai custody as both countries coordinate to complete the remaining formalities. Once India issues the ETC and Thai authorities finish their legal processing, the deportation is expected to proceed without delay.
