New Delhi: Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, part owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Goa where 25 people were killed in a massive fire over a week ago, have been deported from Thailand to India.
NDTV claims to have accessed visuals of the Luthra brothers at Bangkok airport. They are being brought back on an IndiGo flight (6E1064) – which is scheduled to depart from the airport at 1.45 pm (IST).
Upon landing in Delhi, the two will be produced before the Patiala House Court, with officials seeking their transit remand, the channel has reported.
A case of culpable homicide and negligence has been registered against the Luthra brothers, who allegedly fled to Thailand’s Phuket hours after the tragedy.
The two were reportedly attending a wedding in Delhi at the time of the incident. As soon as they got information about the fire and the potential scale of damage, Saurabh and Gaurav called their office in Delhi’s Model Town and asked their staff to book flight tickets. They then rushed to their home, picked up documents, and fled, the channel reported.
A lookout notice was issued against the duo and authorities in Thailand Informed. They were detained in that c
ountry on December 9, after they stepped out of their hotel for a meal.
The Luthras had moved a Delhi court, seeking anticipatory bail. Their prayers were turned down.
The fire broke out at the nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, during a musical event. Of those killed, 20 were staff members from several parts of the country, while five were guests.
A probe then revealed that the establishment was operating without valid permits and licences, the police claimed.
Investigation also revealed that the violation of safety norms turned the nightclub into a tinderbox. According to officials, the club had no emergency exit, no functional fire extinguishers or safety alarms, and the access road was too narrow for fire engines. Despite several warnings, the club management did not fix the security lapses, an FIR mentioned.
Four staff members of the nightclub have been arrested so far, including the manager. Officials from multiple government departments involved in issuing permits and licences to the club have also been summoned for questioning.
A third partner of the club, Ajay Gupta, was also arrested in Delhi.
Gupta earlier claimed that he was a “silent partner”; however, the investigation revealed that he was actually the most active co-owner. He was in Goa at the time of the incident, but boarded a plane to Delhi hours into the tragedy. Upon landing in Delhi, his phone was switched off, with a lookout circular issued against him. He first went to his Gurugram home and then left in a Toyota Innova with his driver – whose phone cops tracked and traced Gupta.