TNI Bureau: Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa where 25 people died in a major fire, have been detained in Phuket, Thailand. The fire, suspected to have been triggered by a cylinder blast on December 7, broke out while firefighters and police were attempting rescue operations.
The brothers left India on an IndiGo flight from Delhi just hours after the incident. A Look-Out Circular and an Interpol Blue Notice were later issued against them. Goa Police are expected to travel to Thailand to bring the duo back for trial.
The Luthras had earlier sought anticipatory bail in a Delhi court, claiming they did not handle daily operations at the Arpora club and that their trip to Thailand was for business, not to evade arrest.
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According to the FIR filed by Goa Police, the nightclub lacked essential fire-safety equipment such as extinguishers, alarms, suppression systems and a mandatory fire audit. The club also did not have proper emergency exits, which caused many guests to become trapped.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had vowed strict action against the owners and warned other clubs to follow safety rules. A second property owned by the brothers—a beach shack—was demolished for illegal construction and safety violations.
Meanwhile, Ajay Gupta, a co-owner of Birch by Romeo Lane, was detained in Delhi. He later claimed he was only a sleeping partner and unaware of any safety lapses.
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