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Luthra brothers-Gaurav and Saurabh, the owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, Goa, where 25 people were killed in a fire earlier this
month, landed in Delhi after they were deported from Thailand on Tuesday, December 16. The duo had fled to Phuket, Thailand, shortly after a massive fire broke out at the nightclub on December 6. The deportation follows their detention in Phuket on December 11. Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra were deported by Thai authorities from Bangkok airport aboard IndiGo flight 6E-1064. They were handed over to Indian authorities immediately on arriving at the airport and taken into custody for further legal proceedings.
The brothers are likely to be produced before the Patiala House Court. The Goa Police is expected to seek transit remand to take them to Goa for further investigation. A case of culpable homicide and negligence has been registered against Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra in connection with the Goa nightclub fire. Investigators allege that the nightclub was operating in violation of mandatory safety norms, contributing to the scale of the tragedy.
Earlier, an Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued against them. The duo have 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.
Luthras' run began with a hurried IndiGo flight they took to flee the country following the fire tragedy. The Luthra brothers booked their flight tickets to Thailand at 1:17 am on December 7, even as the Goa Police and Fire Services were battling the massive blaze and trying to rescue those trapped inside, and fled the country on an early morning IndiGo flight (6E1073) to Phuket. It is important to note that this was amid a massive shortage of IndiGo flights where the airline cancelled over 1600 flights in one day.
The Indian government cancelled the passports of the two brothers and submitted a dossier to Thai authorities alleging their involvement in the deaths and formally seeking their deportation. They were detained on December 11 when they stepped out to collect food packets from an Indian food joint. The Indian mission intervened and coordinated closely with Thai authorities.
Read More -Fled in IndiGo, Hid at Indigo, Deported in IndiGo: Goa Nightclub Owners' Long Run Ends
Goa Police has arrested five managers and staff members of the nightclub in connection with the case. Officials said further arrests could follow as the investigation progresses. Police have recorded the statements of at least 50 persons in the case so far.
The Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against Birch by Romeo Lane into a public interest litigation. “Someone has to be held accountable” for the tragedy, the court observed.
