Goa Nightclub Fire Tragedy: In a significant development, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the brothers who own ‘Birch by Rome Lane‘ in Goa, have been detained in Thailand and the process to deport them to India is underway, officials said, reported news agency PTI. A deadly fire at their nightclub in Goa killed 25 people last Saturday, and left many others injured on late Saturday night, and the two booked a flight to Phuket at 1:17 am on Sunday (Dec 7), when the blaze was still on.
The development comes after the Ministry of External Affairs(MEA) suspended their passports and the authorities demolished their other establishment in Vagator, Goa. An Interpol Blue corner notice was earlier issued on the request of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
Luthra brothers booked ticket as flames killed people
The Goa police earlier made a shocking revelation that the accused owners booked flight when the blaze at their nightclub was killing people. Instead of providing any help or support, they fled to Thailand. According to officials, the brothers made the booking on the MakeMyTrip (MMT) platform at 1:17 am on December 7, a time when both Goa Police and Goa Fire Services were actively engaged in firefighting operations at the site.
“Even as the Goa Police and Goa Fire Services were battling to douse the fire and rescue the people trapped inside, the Luthra brothers were preparing to flee the country,” officials added, quoted PTI.
Amid this, another accused in the Arpora nightclub fire case, Ajay Gupta, was brought to Goa on Thursday and is being taken to the Anjuna Police Station by the Goa Police team. He is one of the four owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub.
As per the report, he was given a 36-hour transit remand by Delhi’s Saket Court on Wednesday.
Delhi court hearing
Delhi’s Rohini court on Wednesday heard the matter, where the city police apprised the court that the brothers had left the country soon after the Goa club fire tragedy and that a Non-Bailable Warrant (NBW) had already been issued against them by a Goa court.
The State opposed the bail plea and said they were deliberately evading investigation and should not be granted any interim relief.
The accused’s counsel, however, argued they were apprehended upon landing in India. They argued that they had travelled to Thailand for work-related reasons and now wished to return but feared custodial action. The lawyers stressed that the applicants only sought brief transit protection to approach the competent court in Goa. A decision is likely on Thursday.