'Ultimate Control Over Club': Goa Police Tell Court Luthra Brothers Organised Fireworks

Fresh details from the transit remand application filed by the Goa Police have revealed the basis on which investigators sought custody of nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra in connection with the deadly Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives.

According to the remand papers accessed by CNN-News18, submitted before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) at Delhi’s Patiala House Court, the Luthra brothers were described as the “main owners” of Birch by Romeo Lane and were alleged to have had “ultimate control” over the establishment’s operations.

Police told the court that the brothers exercised authority over safety arrangements, statutory permissions and the events conducted at the premises in Arpora, Bardez, Goa.

The remand order

noted that investigators had placed sufficient material before the court to establish the Luthras’ role as owners and partners of the nightclub, holding them responsible for operational decisions, including safety compliance.

Police further alleged that the brothers were directly responsible for organising fireworks at the venue on December 6 without adequate precautions or proper safety equipment.

2 Days Transit Remand

The Patiala Court has granted the Goa Police a 48-hour transit remand of the accused, allowing them to be taken to Goa for further questioning.

The brothers were produced before the Patiala House Court shortly after being deported from Thailand, where they had allegedly fled in the aftermath of the fire.

The Goa Police took the Luthras into custody upon their arrival at Indira Gandhi International Airport and completed the required legal formalities before seeking remand.

During the court hearing, both brothers were seen breaking down and weeping after seeing their family members.

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra were brought back from Bangkok on an emergency travel certificate and landed in Delhi on an IndiGo flight at around 2.10 pm.

They were arrested immediately upon arrival and later presented before the court by joint teams of the Delhi Crime Branch and Goa Police.

Investigators have alleged that the brothers left the country within hours of the blaze, even as firefighting and rescue operations were underway.

Thai authorities detained them last week for overstaying without valid documents, following which they were shifted to Bangkok.

After a lookout circular was issued, the Ministry of External Affairs impounded their passports, paving the way for their return under the India–Thailand extradition framework.

The fire erupted around 11.45 pm on December 6 when more than 150 people were present at the nightclub for an event. Preliminary findings by police and the Directorate of Fire Services indicated that electric firecrackers struck the wooden ceiling, causing the fire to spread rapidly.

Further investigation has revealed that the nightclub had allegedly been operating illegally for nearly 18 months without mandatory permissions and on a licence that had not been renewed since 2024.

Despite these lapses, no enforcement action was taken before the tragedy.

So far, several individuals have been arrested in the case, including Gurgaon-based partner Ajay Gupta and senior managerial staff of the nightclub, as the probe continues into lapses that led to one of Goa’s deadliest nightclub fires.