Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI/DELHI: Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Goa nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ where 25 people lost their lives in a devastating fire earlier this month, have arrived in Delhi after being deported from Thailand.
The two brothers were detained by Thai authorities in Phuket on December 11 following intervention by the Indian Embassy. Visuals showing them being escorted to Bangkok airport had surfaced earlier in the day. Sources said Thai officials accompanying the duo will formally hand them over to Indian authorities after completing procedural requirements.
According to officials, the Luthra brothers will be produced before the Patiala House Court in Delhi for further legal proceedings, after which they will be transferred to the custody of the Goa Police.
The brothers had left India within hours of the December 6 blaze at their Arpora nightclub, which also left several others injured. At the time of the incident, they were reportedly in Delhi attending a wedding. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice was subsequently issued against them to trace their whereabouts.
During earlier proceedings in a Delhi court, the Luthras had claimed that they travelled to Thailand for “work-related reasons” and expressed willingness to return to India.
The fire incident triggered widespread public outrage and brought alleged safety lapses at the nightclub under intense scrutiny. The Goa Police registered a criminal case on December 7 at the Arpora-Anjuna Police Station under sections 105, 125, 125(a), 125(b) and 287, read with section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
As per the FIR, the accused had organised a fire show at the restaurant without obtaining necessary permissions, failing to ensure fire safety equipment and adequate precautionary measures.
Following confirmation that the brothers had fled to Thailand, the Indian government cancelled their passports and submitted a detailed dossier to Thai authorities outlining their alleged role in the deaths. India had formally sought their deportation under the Extradition Treaty signed with Thailand in 2013, which came into force in 2015.
So far, the Goa Police have arrested five managers and staff members of the nightclub in connection with the case, while further investigation remains underway.
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