Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, the owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub where a fire claimed the lives of 25 people, were brought to Goa following their deportation from Thailand on Tuesday. This marked the conclusion of a 10-day manhunt for the brothers, who had left the country shortly after the tragedy. Upon their arrival at Delhi airport, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra were formally arrested, after which a court approved a two-day transit remand for the Goa Police to transport them.
Facing charges of culpable homicide and negligence in connection with the December 6 fire, the Luthra brothers are scheduled to appear before a judicial magistrate in Mapusa later in the day.
During the transit remand hearing in the Delhi court, police emphasised that the Luthras were the main owners of the nightclub and had "ultimate control over the operation, safety arrangement, permissions and events conducted at the premises".
A Delhi court previously granted the Goa Police a two-day transit remand to enable the safe transfer of the accused to Goa. The brothers are scheduled to be produced before a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Mapusa, Goa, as the probe into the tragic fire continues.
The duo escaped India on December 7, mere hours after the blaze erupted at their nightclub, claiming 25 lives. They had been residing at the Indigo Hotel in Phuket, Thailand, until Thai authorities detained them for illegal overstay and facilitated their deportation on Tuesday, with escorts provided by local officials.
Visuals from Bangkok airport showed the brothers wearing masks and being closely guarded by immigration personnel. They were seated at the rear of the aircraft for security reasons during the flight back to India. Upon landing in Delhi, they were presented at the Patiala House Court around 6:45 pm, where Goa Police sought three days of custody for interrogation.
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The court, however, approved a two-day transit remand. Following a mandatory medical examination, the brothers were escorted back to the airport for a flight to Goa, with their arrival anticipated around 11 am on Wednesday, as stated by Deputy Superintendent of Police (DySP) Nilesh Rane.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) had suspended their passports after issuing a lookout notice, which led to the Indian embassy in Thailand providing emergency travel documents to enable deportation. A dedicated police team had coordinated with authorities in Phuket to expedite the process after the brothers were detained for overstaying illegally.
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Goa Police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) against the Luthra brothers under several sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Courts in the region had earlier denied their applications for anticipatory transit bail.
In related developments, multiple associates connected to the nightclub's operations have already been taken into custody. These include Gurgaon resident Ajay Gupta, Delhi-based Rajiv Modak and Priyanshu Thakur, as well as individuals from Uttar Pradesh: Rajveer Singhania, Vivek Singh, and Bharat Kohli.
Initial findings from the investigation indicate that the fire ignited around 11:45 pm on December 6, during a crowded event attended by over 150 tourists. The blaze is believed to have started when electric firecrackers made contact with the wooden ceiling of the venue, rapidly spreading and leading to the tragic fatalities.
Also Read: Deported from Thailand, Luthra brothers land in police custody
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