Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi: Goa Police on Tuesday arrested nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra after they were brought back to India from Thailand in connection with the deadly December 6 fire at the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ club that killed 25 people.
Arrest and Transit Remand Process
The Luthra brothers arrived at Indira Gandhi International Airport around 2:10 pm on an IndiGo flight from Bangkok after being issued emergency certificates by the Indian Embassy. They were taken into custody immediately upon arrival and are being produced before the Patiala House Court in Delhi, where Goa Police will seek a transit remand order to take them to Goa for further investigation.
Deportation From Thailand
The duo was detained by Thai authorities last week after it emerged that they had overstayed without valid travel documents. They were initially held in Phuket and later shifted to an immigration detention centre in Bangkok. Their passports were suspended and subsequently impounded by Indian authorities following a lookout circular and intervention by the Ministry of External Affairs.
Allegations Against the Club Owners
Investigators allege that the Luthra brothers fled to Thailand within hours of the fire, even as rescue operations were underway. Police probes revealed that the nightclub had allegedly been operating illegally for nearly 18 months without mandatory permissions and on an expired licence that had not been renewed since 2024.
Progress in the Case So Far
Goa Police have already arrested several individuals linked to the club’s operations, including co-owner Ajay Gupta, senior managers, and staff members. The fire reportedly broke out around 11:45 pm during an event attended by over 150 tourists, after electric firecrackers struck a wooden ceiling, causing the structure to catch fire rapidly.
