Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, brothers and co-owners of the Goa nightclub where a devastating fire claimed 25 lives, arrived in Delhi on Tuesday after being deported from Thailand. Officials said the two were immediately handed over to Indian authorities upon landing and taken into custody for further legal proceedings.
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Sources indicated that the accused will be produced before a Delhi court in the coming days. The December 6 blaze at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, triggered widespread outrage and raised serious concerns over alleged fire safety violations and lapses by the management.
Investigators have registered a case of culpable homicide and negligence against the brothers, Gaurav Luthra, aged 44, and Saurabh Luthra, aged 40.
According to the probe, the nightclub was allegedly operating in breach of mandatory safety norms, which significantly contributed to the scale of the tragedy.
The deportation followed their detention in Phuket on December 11, after the Indian mission coordinated closely with Thai authorities. The Indian government had cancelled the passports of the two brothers and submitted a detailed dossier to Thailand, formally seeking their deportation in connection with the deaths.
An Interpol Blue Corner Notice was also issued against the Luthra brothers after they allegedly left India shortly after the incident. Meanwhile, Goa Police has already arrested five managers and staff members of the nightclub, with officials indicating that further arrests are possible as the investigation progresses.
In a related development, the Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against Birch by Romeo Lane into a public interest litigation, observing that “someone has to be held accountable” for the tragic loss of lives.
India and Thailand share an Extradition Treaty signed in 2013, which came into force in June 2015, providing the legal framework for cooperation in such cases.
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