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First photo: Luthra brothers arrested on arrival in Delhi after Thailand deportation
The Luthra brothers had left India for Phuket, Thailand, just 90 minutes after the December 6 blaze at their nightclub that killed 25 people.
Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, the Delhi-based entrepreneurs who own the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in north Goa’s Arpora where 25 people were killed in a devastating fire, were deported to India from Thailand and arrested on arrival at the Delhi airport on Tuesday. The first photograph of the Luthra brothers after deportation, released by the Goa Police, shows the duo in custody at the Delhi airport.
The photograph, released by Goa Police, shows Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra standing side by side inside the Delhi airport terminal shortly after being deported to India. Both men are dressed in dark winter jackets and casual trousers, wearing face masks and glasses, and appear subdued as they face the camera.
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They are flanked by the controlled, secure environment of the airport, with glass doors, security personnel and reflective surfaces visible in the background.
A Goa Police team formally arrested them at the airport and is set to take their custody for further legal proceedings. The brothers are expected to be produced before a Delhi court to seek transit remand.
Officials said the deportation process began over the weekend after a Delhi court denied anticipatory bail to the brothers. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice had been issued after they fled the country.
The Luthra brothers had left India for Phuket, Thailand, just 90 minutes after the December 6 blaze at their nightclub that killed 25 people, including a family of four from Delhi.
Investigators said that even as the fire was raging through the venue around 11.45 pm, the brothers booked tickets at 1.17 am and flew out at 5.30 am the same day. A lookout notice was issued roughly 24 hours later.
Thai law enforcement officials detained the brothers at a hotel in Phuket last week following a request from Indian authorities. The Indian mission coordinated closely with Thai officials, submitting a dossier alleging the brothers’ involvement in the deaths and formally seeking their deportation.
India and Thailand have had an extradition treaty in force since 2015, and officials said due process was followed in the handover.
Goa Police has already arrested five managers and staff members in connection with the case and said further arrests could follow as the investigation progresses. The Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit related to the incident into a public interest litigation, observing that “someone has to be held accountable” for the tragedy.
The December 6 fire at the popular Arpora nightclub has raised serious questions over alleged fire safety violations and lapses by the management. With the Luthra brothers now back in India and in custody, investigators are expected to intensify the probe into the circumstances that led to one of Goa’s deadliest nightlife disasters in recent years.
