Goa Nightclub Owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, Detained In Thailand - Deportation Next?

The National Crime Bureau in Thailand has detained the Luthra brothers, and the future course of action is expected to be decided soon, sources told Times Now. Earlier, the passports of Saurabh and Gaurav

Luthra - owners of the Goa nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ - were revoked following a request by the Goa Police. The duo had flown to Phuket, Thailand, shortly after the fire broke out at the Arpora nightclub. Investigators later found that the brothers had booked their tickets just minutes after the blaze erupted.A massive manhunt was launched after an FIR was registered in connection with the fire tragedy at the nightclub, and during the probe, investigators found through immigration records that Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra had boarded an IndiGo flight 6E 1073 to Phuket at 5:30 AM on Sunday, December 7.The Luthra brothers booked their flight tickets to Thailand at 1:17 am on December 7, even as the Goa Police and Fire Services were battling the massive blaze and trying to rescue those trapped inside. The duo booked their tickets to Thailand on the MMT platform at 1:17 am on December 7.Earlier, an Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued against the Luthra duo. The notice is used to collect additional information about a person's identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.A Delhi court on Wednesday refused to give any interim protection from arrest to the duo, while their partner was held in connection with the fire incident. In the court, the Luthras' lawyer refuted allegations that they had fled, claiming the trip was for a business meeting, and argued that the brothers are only licensees, not the actual owners of the nightclub.The duo had sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail so that they would not be immediately arrested after they returned to Delhi from Thailand, which was denied by the court.The court has posted their plea seeking transit anticipatory bail for hearing on Thursday. Additional Sessions Judge Vandana, who was hearing the transit anticipatory bail of the accused persons, sought a response from Goa on the transit anticipatory bail filed by the two brothers and set the next date of hearing for Thursday.

Can Luthras Be Extradited to India?

India and Thailand signed an extradition treaty in 2013, which came into effect on June 29, 2015. According to the treaty, the central authority for deciding extradition in India is the Ministry of External Affairs and for Thailand, it is the Attorney General. Each Contracting State shall inform the other Contracting State of any change of the Central Authority through diplomatic channels, according the treaty.India and Thailand also have an MoU that facilitates the exchange of information related to money laundering and terrorist financing.