Goa Fire Probe Reveals More Lapses: Birch Club Employed Kazakh Performer Without Valid Visa

During the on-going investigation of the horrifying fire at the Birch nightclub in Goa on Saturday, Goa Police has unearthed more shocking details about the questionable ways in which owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra ran the club.

The Kazakh national, Kristina, who can be seen performing a belly dancing routine in the viral video of the club when the fire broke out, was working there without a functioning visa. Confirming the reports, Goa Police stated that while she had applied for a business visa, which she requires to legally work in the country, the same has not been sanctioned yet.

The investigation, triggered by the loss of 25 lives due to the deadly blaze, had so far revealed multiple infractions on the part of club owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra including absence of fire safety equipment, lack of an emergency exit, and operating the club without required permissions/licenses.With FIRs charging them with culpable homicide not amounting to murder, and conspiracy, the brothers have fled the country as soon as the events unfolded. One of the brothers, Gaurav Luthra, has already been spotted in Thailand, while Saurabh Luthra still remains on the run. Goa Police has also requested the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) to cancel the passports of Luthra brothers so that they can be swiftly repatriated to face the consequences of their action.

While the number of cases against them are already mounting, the issue of employing a foreign national in India without proper visa status is going to make the situation even worse for them. 

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