Birch Nightclub Fire Accused Luthra Brothers Dragged Back to India, Goa Police Take Custody

Delhi: Goa nightclub fire accused, the Luthra brothers (Gaurav and Saurabh), owners of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub in Arpora, where 25 people were killed in a devastating fire on December 6, have been dragged back to India. They have landed at Delhi airport on Tuesday.

The Goa Police has formally arrested the Luthra brothers from the Immigration control at New Delhi International airport after they were deported from Thailand. 

A team from the Goa Police had been present at the Airport to take custody of the brothers.

After their arrest, they were taken for medical examination.

After that, the Luthra brothers were brought to Patiala House Court by Goa Police for remand proceedings.

The Luthra brothers fled to Thailand shortly after the blaze on December 6, when emergency teams were still battling it.

Thai Police had detained the brothers from a resort in Phuket on Thursday after India had moved to suspend their passports and requested the Thai authorities to deport them. An Indian law enforcement team was also coordinating formalities for the brother's return.

This is possible under an extradition treaty between the two countries, which has been in force since 2015. Thai officials stressed that due process was followed as part of the cooperation between the two countries leading to the prompt lawful handover of the brothers.

The Goa Police had filed a criminal case dated December 07 at the Police Station Arpora Anjuna, North Goa, under sections 105, 125, 125(a), 125(b), and 287, read with 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023.

The FIR states that on December 6, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, the accused persons, had organised a fire show at the restaurant Birch by Romeo Lane, Arpora, without taking proper precautions and without providing fire safety equipment and other safety measures.

The fire show resulted in a serious fire, due to which 25 innocent people, including tourists and staff, succumbed to death and many others were seriously injured. The Luthra brothers, despite knowing that the restaurant does not have emergency exit doors on the ground or deck floors for evacuation in an emergency, organised the fire show.