Goa Nightclub Fire: Owner Brothers Arrested in Thailand After Tragic Blaze Kills 25; Extradition Underway
The two brothers associated with the tragic fire at a nightclub in Goa which resulted in the deaths of 25 individuals have been captured in Thailand after they fled India immediately following the incident.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) December 11: The Birch by Romeo Lane club in Goa, where a deadly fire killed over 25 people due to an alleged cylinder blast and where the owner brothers – Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra- were based, are currently being held in custody (detained) by the Thai authorities (National Police Agency) in Phuket. The brothers fled India for Thailand just five hours following the horrendous fire disaster aboard an IndiGo Airlines flight from Delhi.
Interpol Notices and Legal Actions Against Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra
Both Gaurav and Saurabh face an Interpol blue notice and a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against them. According to sources, a team from Goa Police will fly to Thailand to apprehend and extradite the brothers back to India to face justice.
Duly constituted authorities have now begun to revise the deportation process so that Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra will return to India, while the Indian embassy in Bangkok reviews the Luthra brothers' request for passport revocation.
Their untimely escape on an IndiGo Airlines flight during this time of crisis raised suspicions (as the airline was experiencing cancellation & delay issues across the country).
Luthra Brothers Booked Flights Amid Fire Crisis, Raising Suspicions of Planned Escape
Police investigations revealed that the Luthra brothers purchased airplane tickets for themselves to travel to Thailand at 1:17 a.m. on December 7, coinciding with the time that firemen and police officers were still on site attempting to control the fire and rescue anyone who had been trapped.
The brothers, fearing imprisonment, applied to the Rohini court in Delhi for pre-arrest bail after refusing to return to India. They asserted to the court that they were not involved in the daily operation of the Arpora club and also that they were victims of an abuse of authority's vengeance. The brothers also told the court their trip to Thailand was a pre-arranged business meeting, not an act of evasion.
Co-owner Detained in Delhi
Furthermore, as ordered by CM Pramod Madhav, their additional club Romeo Lane, was closed because it was illegally built and did not meet safety codes.
On Tuesday, Ajay Gupta, co-owner of Birch by Romeo Lane (Goa Location), was held in custody in Delhi. Gupta maintains he was merely a "sleeping partner" of Birch by Romeo Lane (Goa Location), did not know about the death of the nightclub, and has been placed on remand in custody for seven days.
Unsafe Club Conditions Blamed for Deadly Blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane
According to the FIR from Goa Police, Birch by Romeo Lane (Goa Location) possessed no fire extinguishers, alarms suppression gear or fire audits - basic requirements for fire-safety.
Police also stated that the owners, managers, partners, event organizers and senior staff all conducted fire at the venue "with total disregard for public safety" and with "full knowledge" of the possibility of death and injury as a result.
