Goa: Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the North Goa nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane,’ were brought back to Goa on Wednesday by the police, a day after they were deported from Thailand. The development comes in connection with the tragic fire incident at their nightclub earlier this month that resulted in 25 fatalities.
The Luthra brothers had fled India shortly after the incident and were brought back to Delhi on Tuesday after being detained by Thai authorities. In Goa, they will face legal proceedings and an investigation.
According to officials, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra boarded an IndiGo flight to Phuket just hours after a massive fire engulfed Birch by Romeo Lane in the early hours of December 7. The blaze, which reportedly started during a dance performance involving electronic fireworks, led to a fire on the roof. The incident claimed 25 lives, including tourists and staff members, and left several others injured.
The brothers were located and detained in Phuket on December 11 when they stepped out of their hotel for a meal. They were subsequently taken to Bangkok, from where they were deported to India. An IndiGo flight carrying them landed in Delhi at around 2 p.m. on Tuesday. Upon arrival, they were placed under police custody and were produced before a local court in Delhi, where the Goa Police sought transit remand for Goa.
A case of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with charges of negligence, has been registered against the Luthras. Investigators allege that the nightclub was functioning in violation of essential fire safety and building norms, which significantly worsened the impact of the fire. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice had earlier been issued against them after they left the country.
Police investigation revealed that flammable materials, including bamboo, were extensively used in the construction of the club, allowing the fire to spread rapidly. Additionally, the establishment reportedly had a narrow entry and exit point, which made evacuation difficult and trapped many inside during the blaze.
On December 11, a Delhi court rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of the Luthra brothers. During the hearing, the Goa Police submitted documents contradicting the brothers’ claims of limited involvement in the business and pre-planned foreign travel. These included applications filed with the FSSAI and Pollution Control Board, as well as GST records naming the brothers as partners. Police also informed the court that the nightclub’s Panchayat licence had expired and was never renewed, and that the venue was operating without valid authorisation at the time of the incident.
(IANS)
