Goa nightclub fire: Delhi court grants Goa Police two days transit remand of Luthra brothers

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted the Goa Police two-day transit remand of Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, the Goa nightclub owners where 25 people died in a fire earlier this month.

Judicial Magistrate Twinkle Chawla passed the order.

The Goa Police will now take Luthra brothers to Goa for further investigation and questioning.

They were arrested today by the Goa Police after being deported from Thailand.

It is the case of the police that they fled India on the morning of December 7, soon after the fire broke out in their nightclub in Goa.

The case against the brothers stems from a fire that broke out at the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub in North Goa’s Arpora on December 6, claiming the lives of 25 and injuring many others.

Initial investigations by Goa Police alleged negligence on the part of the club owners in adhering to safety norms and maintaining essential fire-fighting infrastructure, leading to the filing of criminal charges against the Luthra brothers soon after the incident.

Last week, a Delhi court rejected their plea for transit anticipatory bail.

They had sought temporary protection from arrest to allow them to return to India and pursue further legal remedies, including approaching courts in Goa.

The Rohini Court, however, refused the request citing seriousness of the charges and the need for a full and effective investigation.

During earlier hearings, the Luthras denied media claims that they had fled India to avoid arrest.

Their counsel told the Delhi court that the brothers had travelled to Thailand for business and were ready to cooperate fully with law enforcement. They also stressed that their return should not be seen as an attempt to dodge legal scrutiny.

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court has taken suo motu cognisance of the systemic failures exposed by the Goa nightclub fire.

The Court converted a writ petition into a public interest litigation and has asked the State to come up with measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.

Senior Advocate Abhinav Mukerji with advocates Surjendu Sankar Das, Annie Mittal, Vishwajeet Shekhawat, Khushboo Hora and Archita Nigam appeared for the Goa Police.

Advocates Saud Khan, Vaibhav Suri, Shivaz Berry and Tushan Rawal represented Luthra brothers.