The investigation into Goa’s deadliest nightclub fire has entered a decisive phase as owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra are set to land in Delhi from Thailand on Tuesday. Goa Police confirmed that officers will take the brothers into custody immediately upon their arrival, marking a breakthrough in the high-profile case that claimed 25 lives.
Thai authorities detained the Luthra brothers after Indian agencies issued an INTERPOL Blue Notice to trace their whereabouts. Following their detention abroad, Indian officials coordinated their return to face the law.
Police will produce the brothers before a Delhi court to seek transit remand before flying them to Goa for sustained interrogation.
Investigators have intensified the probe on multiple fronts. Police teams have begun recording statements from officials of the excise department and members associated with the local panchayat.
Sources said investigators have already unearthed critical information pointing to regulatory lapses and administrative failures that allowed the nightclub to operate unchecked.
A magisterial inquiry committee has also expanded its scope. The panel questioned Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar, the original landowner of the property, and summoned more than 100 individuals connected directly or indirectly with the establishment.
Officials have recorded statements from at least 20 people so far, with more depositions scheduled in the coming days.
Custody, court, crackdown ahead
Earlier, a Delhi court rejected the anticipatory bail pleas of the Luthra brothers, delivering a significant setback to their legal strategy.
Goa Police strongly contested their claims of limited involvement in the business and dismissed assertions that their foreign travel was routine.
During the hearing, police submitted documentary evidence to establish ownership and operational control. These included an FSSAI application filed by Saurabh Luthra, Pollution Control Board records, and GST documents listing both brothers as business partners along with Ajay Gupta.
Investigators also informed the court that the nightclub’s panchayat licence had expired and was never renewed.
Police further alleged that the brothers lacked authorisation to run the venue and produced the licence agreement to support this claim.
Prosecutors told the court that the brothers booked their international flight shortly after the fire erupted and left for Thailand within hours, describing the move as a deliberate attempt to evade arrest.
The tragic fire broke out in the early hours of December 7 at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub near the Arpora River backwaters in Baga. The inferno killed 25 people, including tourists and staff members, and exposed glaring safety failures.
Officials said the club’s narrow entry and exit points severely restricted evacuation, trapping victims inside as flames spread rapidly.
As the brothers return to Indian soil, authorities signal that accountability will follow. The case has triggered public outrage and sharpened scrutiny of safety compliance in Goa’s nightlife sector.
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