Passports Act With Interpol's Blue Corner Notice: How India Caught The Luthra Brothers

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra — the brothers who owned the Goa nightclub 'Romeo By Birch Lane' where 25 people died in the December 6 fire — appeared to have slipped away after the tragedy. But a combination of India’s passport laws and an Interpol Blue Corner Notice enabled authorities to track them down in Thailand, where they were detained pending deportation and returned to Goa to face trial.

As public outrage grew over their attempt to flee, the government invoked Section 10A of the Passports Act, 1967, and issued an Interpol alert, effectively blocking their escape and ensuring they remained within reach of Indian investigators.

The Ministry of External Affairs states that the Central Government, or an authorized officer, can suspend a passport under Section 10A of the Passports Act, 1967. Once a suspension order comes into force, the passport becomes unusable for travel. Importantly, this action can be taken even if there is no chargesheet or arrest warrant against the passport holder.

In the case of the Luthra brothers, they had already left India when the suspension was issued, but their passports were now legally invalid, blocking them from travelling any further. Reports indicate that the government is expected to move next toward permanently cancelling their passports. After such an action, the foreign country involved — Thailand, in this instance — then has the authority to detain the individuals, limit their movement, or deport them based on India’s request.

To add on to the suspension of the Luthra brothers’ passports, the CBI also requested an Interpol Blue Corner Notice — a tool used worldwide to trace individuals who are under investigation but not yet subject to an arrest request.

A Blue Notice is essentially an international information-gathering alert. Once issued, it:

• Notifies all 196 Interpol member countries to help locate and confirm the identity of the individual.

• Allows agencies to share travel history, hotel check-ins, immigration records, and movement patterns.

• Enables coordinated monitoring and intelligence exchange across borders.

• Does not mandate an arrest, but it creates a documented trail that can support future legal action.

Once the Blue Notice went out, Thailand — where the brothers were staying — received an immediate alert.

In this case, authorities didn’t need to rely on a formal extradition process. The suspension of the Luthras’ passports under Section 10A meant they no longer had valid legal status in Thailand.

The Blue Notice, meanwhile, ensured that every country along their travel route was alerted and prepared to share information. Together, these measures closed off escape options and created a coordinated international response.