Daijiworld Media Network - Panaji

Panaji, Dec 21: Goa police on Saturday moved to involve Interpol, routing their request through the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), seeking the issuance of a blue corner notice against UK citizen Surinder Kumar Khosla. Khosla owns the Arpora property where the nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane was operating before a devastating fire claimed 25 lives earlier this month.

Police PRO and Deputy Superintendent Nilesh Rane said the move is aimed at determining Khosla’s current location and ensuring his availability for questioning. A lookout notice has already been issued against him, but investigators have so far been unable to trace him.

Meanwhile, nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who were arrested in Delhi and brought to Goa earlier this week, were sent to five days of police custody by a Mapusa court on Wednesday. Police had sought a 10-day remand, citing the need for custodial interrogation to prevent the accused and their associates from fleeing the country. The Luthra brothers will be produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) on Monday, when police are expected to seek an extension of custody.

Several others have also been arrested in connection with the case, including Ajay Gupta, a 55-year-old Gurgaon-based partner of the Luthras; Rajiv Modak, 49, chief general manager; Priyanshu Thakur, 32, gate manager; Rajveer Singhania, 32, bar manager; Vivek Singh, 27, general manager; and Bharat Kohli from Delhi.

The fatal fire broke out at around 11.45 pm on December 6, when over 150 tourists were present at the nightclub for an event. Preliminary findings by the police and the directorate of fire services indicate that the blaze was triggered when electric firecrackers hit the wooden ceiling, causing it to catch fire. Investigations into safety violations and responsibility for the incident are ongoing.