Goa nightclub fire: How India and Thailand coordinated to detain the Luthras

New Delhi: A swift multi-agency operation spanning two countries led to the detention in Thailand of Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, owners of Goa’s Birch By Romeo Lane nightclub. 25 people died in the blaze at the club, after which the Luthra brothers left India. The deportation process has begun, and officials expect the duo to be brought back soon. They have been taken to a detention centre in Phuket. Authorities say they are already in contact with their counterparts in Thailand, and the procedure to secure their return is under way.

How were the brothers traced so quickly?

Authorities in India acted immediately after immigration officials informed them of the brothers’ departure. The immigration desk was the first to alert the authorities. Once it was confirmed that the two had flown into Phuket, Thai officials were notified without delay.

Another official said that the operation had to be swift because there was a risk that the duo might leave Thailand once they realised they had been tracked. As soon as the Thai authorities received the details, they launched searches across the island.

Why did the detention take time?

The detention would have taken place earlier, but the brothers had shifted from the place where they had been staying in Phuket. This resulted in the search being extended. They were eventually traced and detained.

Officials say that Gaurav and Saurabh booked their tickets at 1:17 am. on December 7 through MakeMyTrip. This was the same time when firefighters and police were attempting to douse the fire and rescue those trapped inside the nightclub at Airpora, Goa.

What happens next?

The brothers are now in Thai custody and the authorities are proceeding with the legal formalities. An official said they expect deportation to take place soon. Once the brothers return to India, they will be handed over to the Goa police for further investigation.

Another official said that deportation could take place in just a day. The Goa police had suspended their passports. The Ministry of External Affairs is currently examining a request from the Goa police to revoke their passports.

What has happened in court?

On Wednesday, a New Delhi court declined to grant interim protection from arrest to the brothers. Their lawyer argued that the Luthras had not fled the country but were on a business trip. They also said they were not the owners but licensees of the nightclub. They added that the day-to-day affairs of the club were managed by staff and that the brothers should therefore be absolved of direct responsibility.

What is the status of the investigation in Goa?

As part of the probe, the Goa police have arrested five managers and staff members connected with the incident. Goa Chief Minister Promod Sawant, who has assured strict action, said that an inquiry report into the incident will be ready in eight days.

25 people were killed and six others injured after a fire broke out at the nightclub on Saturday night. Around 100 people were inside the club at the time. An initial assessment suggests that the cause of the fire was the heavy use of inflammable material in the decor. Shocking violations of fire safety norms were also found.

With agency inputs