Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, linked to Goa nightclub fire killing 25, detained in Thailand; deportation to India has begun for trial.
The two brothers associated with the Goa nightclub fire that resulted in 25 fatalities are believed to have been detained in Thailand, according to sources familiar with the matter. They further stated that the process of deporting them to India for trial has been commenced.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is reviewing a petition from the Goa government seeking to revoke the passports of Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa. The brothers departed from India shortly after the December 6 fire in Arpora, for which an Interpol Blue Corner notice has already been issued at the request of the CBI.
The Goa Police investigation uncovered that the brothers purchased flight tickets to Thailand while emergency response teams were actively responding to the fire.
According to officials, Gaurav and Saurabh purchased their tickets on MakeMyTrip at 1:17 a.m. on December 7, a time when firefighters and police were endeavoring to extinguish the flames and rescue individuals stranded within the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora. “While the Goa Police and Goa Fire Services were engaged in combating the blaze and rescuing individuals trapped inside, the Luthra brothers were reportedly making arrangements to leave the country,” an official stated.
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Earlier on Wednesday, a court in New Delhi refused to grant provisional protection from arrest to the brothers. Their legal representatives contended that the Luthras had not absconded from the country but were away on a business vacation, asserting that they were licensees rather than owners of the nightclub. They further argued that the daily operations were overseen by the club’s personnel, thereby absolving the brothers of direct accountability.
Meanwhile, the Goa Police have apprehended five administrators and staff members in relation to the fire that occurred around midnight and rapidly engulfed the venue, situated approximately 25 km from Panaji. Authorities in India are currently collaborating with their compatriots in Thailand as the deportation proceedings advance.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant announced that the inquiry report pertaining to the calamity will be completed within eight days, as the state commences disbursing compensation to the families of victims and intensifies safety audits across entertainment venues.