Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers detained in Thailand, photographed with hands tied

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) Delhi businessmen Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who left India shortly after a massive fire at their Goa nightclub claimed 25 lives, have been taken into custody in Thailand. 

The two, known for running the Romeo Lane restaurant chain with branches in several cities across four countries, reportedly flew to Phuket just hours after the tragedy at their establishment, ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’, located in Arpora, North Goa.

They are facing charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with serious allegations of negligence. Indian agencies are expected to formally request their deportation so that they can be tried in Goa, according to NDTV.

Earlier in the day, the passports of prime accused Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra were suspended, officials said.

As per the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the Central government or any appointed officer has the authority to suspend passports in accordance with Section 10A of the Passports Act 1967 (the relevant provision is included in the Annexure).

Individuals whose passports have been suspended are not permitted to travel out of the country using that passport.

Passports are frequently put on hold in criminal matters, and restoring them necessitates completing legal requirements or stipulations. The following action, as per the sources, will involve the cancellation of passports.

The blaze erupted late Saturday night while the club was hosting a music event with nearly 100 attendees, many of whom were tourists. Videos from the evening show performers entertaining the crowd with Bollywood numbers. The use of electric firecrackers during the show is suspected to have sparked the inferno.

The nightclub quickly turned into a deadly trap due to extensive use of flammable decor and a blatant disregard for fire safety protocols. Officials found no working fire extinguishers or alarm systems on site. Compounding the disaster was the narrow approach road that prevented fire engines from reaching the venue; they had to be stationed nearly 400 metres away, delaying rescue efforts and making firefighting extremely difficult.

By the time fire personnel managed to control the flames, 25 people had died -- five tourists and 20 staff members. Most victims were discovered in the basement area, having succumbed to toxic smoke inhalation.

The tragedy sent shockwaves through Goa during peak tourist season. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant promised strict action, and four employees of the club were taken into custody. A manhunt was launched for the Luthra brothers. Goa Police teams arrived in Delhi and worked with local police, only to discover that the brothers had booked flights almost immediately after the fire broke out and departed within hours. Their business associate, Ajay Gupta, was arrested in the capital.

Meanwhile, the Luthra brothers filed a plea for anticipatory bail before a Delhi court. In their petition, they claimed they held only the licence and were not the actual owners of the building where the nightclub operated. They requested four weeks of transit anticipatory bail to avoid arrest upon returning to India. They also argued that their trip to Thailand was for a business meeting and not an attempt to escape following the fire, asserting that they were not present at the nightclub when the incident occurred.

--IANS

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