A major development has emerged in the Goa nightclub fire case. Days after one of the owners, Ajay Gupta, was arrested, fugitive brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra have moved the court seeking relief from arrest. The duo, who fled India soon after the incident, have filed a petition in Delhi’s Rohini Court, requesting four weeks of transit anticipatory bail.
The Luthra brothers, who escaped to Thailand on an IndiGo flight shortly after the disaster, claimed through their plea that they wish to “return and cooperate with the investigation.” The catastrophic fire at Goa’s “Birch by Romeo Lane” nightclub in Arpora killed 25 people, most of them staffers trapped inside during the blaze.
Luthra Brothers Argue They Fled for ‘Professional Work’
The anticipatory bail plea filed on Wednesday asserts that the brothers had travelled to Thailand on 6 December for “professional commitments” and to explore restaurant locations — not to evade the law. Their counsel argued that the duo are merely license holders, not active managers responsible for daily operations at the Arpora nightclub.
The timing of the application, however, coincides with intensified efforts by Goa Police, who have enlisted the CBI and Interpol to locate the absconding owners. A Lookout Circular (LOC) was issued earlier, after which Interpol released a Blue Corner Notice to trace their movements.
Police sources confirmed that within hours of the deadly fire on 7 December, the brothers boarded a flight from Delhi to Phuket.
Court Seeks Response from Goa Police; Hearing on Thursday
The Rohini Court has sought a detailed reply from Goa Police and granted time to file it. The hearing on the bail plea is scheduled for Thursday afternoon.
Meanwhile, authorities in Goa have begun demolishing illegal structures linked to the nightclub. A section of ‘Romeo Lane’ in Vagator was brought down using a bulldozer after officials claimed the establishment stood on government land. DIG Varsha Sharma confirmed that a full demolition drive is underway.
Arrest of Co-owner Ajay Gupta
On Wednesday, Goa Police produced Ajay Gupta, one of the four co-owners of ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’, before the court as part of the ongoing investigation. Gupta was apprehended from Delhi following a non-bailable arrest warrant issued against him. Earlier, he was declared absconding after police found him missing from his residence despite the LOC issued in his name.
The probe relates to the horrific fire that broke out early Sunday, killing at least 25 people and prompting the state government to set up a special committee to examine nightclub safety protocols and prepare a standard operating procedure (SOP) for such establishments.
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