Goa fire tragedy: Why the Luthra brothers’ deportation from Thailand has been delayed

Thai authorities are moving to cancel the Luthra brothers’ visas, alleging they concealed their actual intentions of the visit from immigration officials

The Luthra brothers -- Gaurav and Saurabh -- wanted in connection with the tragic fire at Goa’s ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, were detained in Thailand on Thursday but there is no sign of their deportation yet.

Top Indian government sources told CNN-News18 that the reason for the delay is the legal process required under Thai laws. The brothers had fled to Phuket within a few hours of the December 6 fire at their nightclub that left 25 dead.

As the passports of the club owners have been suspended by Indian authorities, an emergency document must be created for them to leave Thailand, sources told CNN-News18. The Indian embassy may expedite the emergency travel document, but other required legal processes must still be completed.

Thai authorities are moving to cancel the Luthra brothers’ visas, alleging they concealed their actual intentions of the visit from immigration officials. Tourist visas are permitted only for genuine tourism, and the Blue notice confirmed they were fugitives from India, the sources said.

“Visa cancellation could entail a Thai court order declaring them as individuals who are in Thailand illegally. Only this would pave the way for deportation," an official told CNN-News18.

As per the sources, the Luthra brothers are expected to be taken to a detention centre in Bangkok today to completed other legal procedures. “This could take 2 days or more, and we also have to factor in the weekend that falls within that timeline," an official added.

A team of Thai police located the Luthra brothers at Hotel Indigo in Patong, Phuket on Thursday morning after a Blue notice from Interpol.

Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant reaffirmed that strict action will be taken against them, asserting that the government is committed to securing justice for the 25 people who lost their lives in the tragedy.

The CM stated that teams from the Goa Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will travel to Thailand to deport the accused to India.

Meanwhile, 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.

“The nature of offence, prima facie, is grave and serious in nature where 25 people have lost their lives,” the court said.