Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 10: A Delhi court on Wednesday rejected a plea for interim protection from arrest filed by absconding Goa nightclub owners Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, deepening the legal pressure on the duo linked to the deadly fire at Birch by Romeo Lane that claimed 25 lives. The brothers had approached the Rohini court seeking transit anticipatory bail to avoid immediate arrest by Goa Police, but the prosecution strongly contested the request, leading to its dismissal.
The Luthras, already on the run, remain untraceable. Investigators say the two fled India within hours of the blaze, allegedly slipping out on an early morning IndiGo flight to Phuket, Thailand, in what police suspect was a carefully coordinated escape executed in under five hours. A Lookout Circular was issued only later that evening, by which time they had already left the country.
With the brothers’ whereabouts still unknown, authorities have issued a Blue Corner Interpol Notice to assist in locating them. Police teams in India and overseas have intensified efforts to track their movements.
Meanwhile, Goa Police have detained one of the four co-owners of the nightclub, Ajay Gupta, adding to the growing list of arrests. Five others are already in custody, including Chief General Manager Rajiv Modak, General Manager Vivek Singh, Bar Manager Rajiv Singhania, Gate Manager Riyanshu Thakur, and employee Bharat Kohli. On Monday, investigators visited the Luthras’ Delhi homes and pasted notices after failing to find them.
The fire, which broke out shortly after midnight on Sunday at the busy Baga-area club located near the Arpora River backwaters, turned into a deadly trap for many patrons due to narrow entry and exit points that hindered evacuation. Among the 25 victims were four tourists and 14 staff members, while identities of seven others remain to be formally verified. Six injured survivors are still receiving treatment.
The tragedy has triggered a widespread crackdown on safety violations across Goa’s nightlife hubs, even as authorities push forward with efforts to bring the fugitive owners back to face investigation.