Nightclub Owners Deported from Thailand Face Court in Goa Over Deadly Blaze
New Delhi: Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, proprietors of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa’s Arpora area, are being escorted to the state by Goa Police after their deportation from Thailand and subsequent detention upon arrival at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport.
The brothers, accused in a tragic fire that killed 25 people, were repatriated following a 10-day international pursuit. They had left India shortly after the incident on December 6.
A Delhi court granted Goa Police a two-day transit remand to enable their transfer. The Luthras are scheduled to appear before a judicial magistrate in Mapusa, Goa, where the probe into the fire continues.
The pair had been residing at the Indigo Hotel in Phuket before Thai authorities deported them for overstaying after their passports were revoked by India’s Ministry of External Affairs in response to a lookout notice. Emergency travel documents were issued by the Indian embassy in Thailand to facilitate their return.
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A Goa Police team coordinated the deportation process. Upon landing in Delhi on Tuesday, the masked brothers were taken into custody, underwent medical checks, and were presented at Patiala House Court. Police sought extended custody, but the court approved the two-day transit period. They were then flown to Goa, with arrival expected around 11 am on Wednesday, as stated by Deputy Superintendent of Police Nilesh Rane.
Goa Police have filed charges against the duo under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Local courts previously denied their anticipatory bail applications.
Several associates have already been detained, among them Gurgaon-based Ajay Gupta, Delhi residents Rajiv Modak and Priyanshu Thakur, and individuals from Uttar Pradesh: Rajveer Singhania, Vivek Singh, and Bharat Kohli.
Initial findings indicate the fire erupted around 11:45 pm on December 6 during an event attended by more than 150 tourists, triggered when electric firecrackers ignited the club’s wooden ceiling.