Goa Nightclub Fire Probe: Luthra Brothers Booked Thailand Tickets Minutes After Blaze Broke Out

The investigation into the tragedy at the Goa nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane, revealed that the owners - Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra - booked their tickets just minutes after the blaze broke out.

Twenty-five people were killed in the fire at the Arpora nightclub in North Goa, around midnight on December 6.The Luthra brothers booked their flight tickets to Thailand at 1:17 am on December 7, even as Goa Police and Fire Services were battling the massive blaze and trying to rescue those trapped inside, reported ANI. The duo booked their tickets to Thailand on the MMT platform at 1:17 am on December 7.Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the two primary owners of the nightclub located at Arpora in Goa, had fled to Phuket in Thailand following the tragedy. As an Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued against them, the duo moved an anticipatory bail plea. The brothers sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail so that they would not be immediately arrested after they returned to Delhi from Thailand.

However, they failed to get interim relief from a Delhi court on Wednesday. The court has posted their plea seeking transit anticipatory bail for hearing on Thursday.Additional Sessions Judge Vandana, who was hearing the transit anticipatory bail of the accused persons, sought a response from Goa on the transit anticipatory bail filed by the two brothers and set the next date of hearing for Thursday.

Club Co-Owner Sent to 36-Hour Transit Remand

A Delhi court on Wednesday allowed the Goa Police a 36-hour transit remand of Ajay Gupta, one of the four owners of the nightclub. The judge directed that special consideration be taken on account of Gupta’s spinal injury and other medical issues, and that timely medication should be ensured during custody.

Ajay Gupta was detained in Delhi for questioning in connection with the fire incident at the nightclub in Goa, following which he was produced before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Vinod Joshi. The court granted a 36-hour transit remand in view of the ongoing air travel crisis due to disrupted Indigo flights.During the remand, Ajay Gupta is likely to face detailed questioning in Goa about the club's management, operational responsibilities and fire-safety compliance, the sources said.The police have so far arrested five persons - the nightclub's chief general manager, Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and employee Bharat Kohli.