Luthra brothers held in Thailand days after Goa nightclub inferno

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra — owners of Goa’s Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub where a devastating fire killed 25 people — have been detained in Phuket, five days after fleeing India. The brothers left on an IndiGo flight from Delhi barely hours after the suspected cylinder blast triggered the blaze, prompting authorities to issue a Look-Out Circular and an Interpol Blue Notice.

Police discovered that the brothers booked their Thailand tickets at 1.17 am on December 7, even as firefighters were battling flames and rescue teams were pulling victims from the Arpora club. Their sudden departure, at a time when IndiGo was grappling with a nationwide meltdown in operations, immediately raised red flags.

The Luthras later sought pre-arrest bail from a Rohini court, claiming they were not responsible for day-to-day operations and accusing authorities of vindictive action. They insisted the Thailand trip was for a “planned business meeting” and not an escape.

Meanwhile, a second property owned by the brothers — a beach shack — was demolished for illegal construction and lack of safety compliance.

A Goa Police FIR states that the nightclub operated without basic fire-safety essentials: extinguishers, alarms, suppression equipment, or a fire audit. Investigators said senior staff conducted a fire act “without proper care and caution,” despite knowing it posed deadly risks. The venue also had no emergency exits on either the deck or ground floor, trapping several guests.

Chief Minister Pramod Madhav had vowed swift action, warning other clubs to comply with safety norms or face a crackdown. On December 9, co-owner Ajay Gupta was detained in Delhi, though he later claimed he was only a sleeping partner unaware of any violations.

A Goa Police team is now preparing to travel to Thailand to take custody of the Luthra brothers and bring them back to India to stand trial.