A court in Goa on Friday extended the police custody of nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra till December 29 in connection with the deadly fire at a popular nightclub in North Goa that claimed 25 lives earlier this month.
The brothers own the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora village, where the fire broke out on December 6. Following the incident, the siblings allegedly left the country within hours and travelled to Thailand. They were later deported to India on December 17.
The extension was granted by a Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court in Mapusa after the brothers’ initial 10-day police remand ended on Friday. Their lawyer, Parag Rao, said the court accepted the police request for additional custody.
“Their initial 10-day
remand expired on Friday,” Rao told reporters, adding that the brothers did not object to the extension. He said they were willing to cooperate with the investigation.
Rao also clarified that his clients were not present at the nightclub when the fire broke out. The brothers are currently in the custody of the Anjuna police.
Police have registered a case against Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with other charges related to safety violations and negligence.
So far, eight people have been arrested in connection with the case. The investigation is ongoing, and police are examining the role of various individuals linked to the operation and management of the nightclub.
Meanwhile, authorities have started the process to issue a Blue Corner Notice against British national Surinder Kumar Khosla, who is also named as an accused in the case. Khosla is believed to have fled to the United Kingdom.
The December 6 fire has triggered widespread outrage and raised serious questions about fire safety norms and regulatory oversight in nightlife establishments across Goa. The case will be heard next on December 29.
