Goa Nightclub Tragedy: Blue-Corner Notice Issued Against Luthra Brothers, Hunt On For Third Partner Ajay Gupta

Panaji: The investigation into the devastating fire at the nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane, which killed 25 people late Saturday night, entered a critical phase after authorities stepped up efforts to track down the absconding owners and expand the probe to alleged partners.

According to the Goa Police, club owners Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, brothers behind the operations, fled India just hours after the blaze. Immigration records confirm they boarded an early-morning flight (IndiGo 6E 1073) from Delhi to Phuket at 5.30 am on Sunday.

In response, authorities have issued a lookout notice and formally requested assistance from Interpol via the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to secure the brothers’ arrest at the earliest.

Goa Police described their departure as “intent to avoid police investigation”, underlining the urgency of international cooperation.

Soon after the FIR against the owners was filed, police teams descended on the Luthras' known residences and offices in Delhi, but found both properties locked and unoccupied. Notices were pasted on their gates.

Meanwhile, a number of his associates and club staff have been taken into custody. Those detained are the chief general manager, general manager, bar manager and gate manager of the club.

Most recently, a key manager from the Delhi outlet, Bharat Kohli, was detained in Delhi and placed on transit remand to appear before the Goa Police.

Third Partner Under Radar: Search On For Ajay Gupta

Sources indicate that a third person, alleged partner of the Luthra brothers, has come under the police scanner. The Goa Police are now searching for Ajay Gupta, believed to be linked with the nightclub operations. 

Investigators have reportedly intensified raids in and around Delhi, probing his possible hideouts or connections.

Preliminary investigations have already flagged a slew of regulatory and safety lapses. According to police and fire-service officials, the club lacked valid fire-safety clearances, proper emergency exits and essential safety infrastructure such as sprinklers, alarms and clearly marked escape routes. 

Locals and activists claim that the venue’s structure, including usage of flammable materials and a single narrow exit, severely exacerbated the disaster.

With the Luthra brothers abroad and a third partner still unaccounted for, the Goa Police have escalated the hunt. A magisterial inquiry panel has been constituted, the state government has ordered safety audits of all nightclubs and similar establishments across Goa for compliance with fire and building norms. 

As investigations proceed, the spotlight continues to fall on how regulatory failures, alleged mismanagement and complicity may have collectively contributed to one of the deadliest nightclub tragedies in recent times.

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