North Goa, December 18: A court in North Goa on Wednesday remanded Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’, to five days of police custody in connection with the December 6 fire tragedy that claimed 25 lives.
The two brothers were produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class court in Mapusa after being brought to Goa earlier in the day following their deportation from Thailand. Judicial Magistrate Puja Sardesai granted the police custody after the accused underwent multiple medical examinations.
A team of Goa Police arrived with the Luthra brothers at the Manohar International Airport in Mopa at around 10.45 am. They were first taken to a Primary Health Centre in Siolim for a medical check-up and later to the District Hospital in Mapusa. After being produced in court, the judge directed a fresh medical examination, following which the accused were again presented before the court, which ordered five days of police remand.
The Anjuna police had registered a case against the nightclub owners after the deadly fire broke out at their establishment in Arpora village. The charges include culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other serious offences linked to alleged safety violations.
Investigations revealed that the Luthra brothers fled the country hours after the incident and travelled to Phuket, Thailand, on December 7. In response, authorities issued an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancelled their passports. They were detained by Thai authorities in Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government.
After coordination between Indian and Thai authorities under existing legal treaties, the brothers were deported to India. They were initially arrested in Delhi, where a local court granted Goa Police a two-day transit remand, enabling their transfer to the state for further investigation.
Police officials said custodial interrogation is required to establish responsibility for the fire, examine compliance with safety norms and determine whether negligence led to the loss of lives.
