Goa Nightclub Fire: Fugitive Luthra Brothers Detained From Resort In Phuket’s Kathu, Now in Royal Thai Police Custody

New Delhi: In a major breakthrough in the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub fire case, the two key accused, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, have been detained in Thailand, with officials confirming that the processing is complete and the duo is now in the custody of the Royal Thai Police. Their legal team in India has been formally informed of their detention.

The two brothers were reportedly hiding in a resort in Kathu, Phuket, when the Royal Thai Police detained them.

The development marks a significant leap forward in the probe into the December 6 inferno at the upscale Goa nightclub, which left 25 people dead. The Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), working closely with Thai authorities, traced the movements of the brothers after they fled India within hours of the tragedy, catching an early-morning IndiGo flight to Thailand.

Interpol had earlier issued a Blue Corner Notice to track the absconding owners. With the latest update communicated to Indian agencies, the next course of action, including possible extradition steps, will be taken by authorities concerned.

The detention comes a day after a Delhi court refused to grant interim protection from arrest to the Luthra brothers, who had sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail, claiming they intended to return and join the investigation. Their plea, filed in Rohini court, argued that their travel to Thailand was for work, not to evade the law.

Meanwhile, another partner in the nightclub business, Ajay Gupta, has also been detained. He has claimed he was merely a “sleeping partner” with no knowledge of operational details of the nightclub.

The investigation continues to widen as agencies piece together accountability for one of Goa’s worst recent fire tragedies.

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