Goa nightclub fire: Delhi court denies anticipatory bail to owners Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra

A Delhi court on Thursday denied transit anticipatory bail to Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, the Goa nightclub owners booked after a fire at their nightclub killed 25 persons.

Additional Sessions Judge Vandana of the Rohini Courts passed the order denying bail to the duo.

The two owners, who are residents of Delhi, had reportedly fled to Thailand after the tragedy to evade arrest.

The fire incident took place on the night of December 6.

Preliminary investigation revealed that the blaze began in the basement of the club around midnight. The fire allegedly spread from the basement to the first floor, which has a bar and restaurant.

They filed for transit anticipatory bail before the Delhi court on December 10, stating that they did not flee India but had gone to Thailand for business.

Senior Advocates Siddharth Luthra and Tanveer Ahmed Mir and appeared for the Luthras stated that the Goa government is on the "path of vengeance and revenge" against them, and that one of their restaurant in the state has been bulldozed while the other has been sealed.

"People are baying for my blood. I am before the court, I am not absconding," said Mir.

He added that they did not flee the country but had gone to Thailand for business.

He further said that the petitioners were not absconding and are ready to cooperate with the investigators, but they fear violence against them.

“I am providing bread and butter to my family and others. Do I deserve to be lynched?” he said. 

The senior counsel added that Luthras suffer from medical conditions as well.

However, the Goa Police challenged the submission and stated that they fled India immediately after they heard of the devastation caused by the fire.

Senior Advocate Abhinav Mukerji appeared for the Goa Police and told the Court that the fire happened on December 6 and the Luthra brothers booked the flight at 1:17 AM on December 7 and flew to Thailand at 5:25 AM the same day.

“In the application, they say they left on December 6 (the day of the fire). Please see the PNR details. The booking is done at 1:17 AM on December 7. They booked the flight immediately after the fire broke out. The fire starts, people are dying, and you wake up and leave the country. The flight leaves at 5:25 AM on December 7,” Mukerjee said. 

He argued that the two brothers have no business interest in Thailand and that their family did not cooperate when the police officials went to their house. 

“The mother and sister said we don’t know where they are. The mother said she doesn’t even know her son’s phone number. That’s the conduct,” Mukerji said. 

They have misled the Court and the authorities and made false statements before this court, Mukerji stressed. 

He added that the medical grounds cited by the two brothers were also bogus, and they were running the club without a license.

"They led innocents into a trap," he added.

Advocates Shiv Chopra, Saud Khan, Vaibhav Suri, Shivaz Berry and Tushan Rawal also represented the Luthra brothers. 

Standing counsel Surjendu Sankar Das along with advocates Annie Mittal, Archita Nigam and Khushboo Hora also appeared for the State of Goa.