Goa nightclub fire: Delhi court grants transit remand of co-owners Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra

Panaji: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted the Goa Police a two-day transit remand of Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa, where 25 people were killed in a devastating fire on December 6.

The brothers were produced before Judicial Magistrate Twinkle Chawla at Patiala House Courts after being arrested in Delhi following their deportation from Thailand. The court allowed a shorter remand than sought by the police and directed officials to ensure that prescribed medicines were provided to both accused.

Investigating officers informed the court that the Luthras would be taken to Goa by the earliest available flight. The two were brought to court in separate police vehicles amid heavy security and were also taken to Safdarjung Hospital for medical examinations.

According to a senior Goa Police official, the brothers are expected to arrive at Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at around 11 am on Wednesday, accompanied by a police team currently stationed in Delhi.

The Luthras were arrested as soon as they landed in the national capital after being deported by Thai authorities. They had fled to Phuket in Thailand in the early hours of December 7, just hours after the fire broke out at their nightclub in Arpora, triggering widespread public outrage and scrutiny over alleged safety violations and management lapses.

An Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued against the brothers, and their passports were cancelled. They were detained by Thai authorities in Phuket on December 11 following intervention by the Indian mission, which coordinated closely with the Thai government to secure their deportation under existing legal treaties.

Videos circulating on social media had shown the Luthra brothers at Bangkok airport prior to their departure to India, where they were handed over to Indian authorities on arrival for further legal proceedings.

Meanwhile, five managers and staff members of the nightclub have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the case, as investigations into the deadly blaze continue.