NEW DELHI: The Luthra brothers, Gaurav and Saurabh, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora where a massive fire killed 25 people earlier this month, are being deported from Thailand to India on Tuesday (Dec 16).
The brothers are expected to land in Delhi around 1.30pm – 1.45pm on an IndiGo flight from Bangkok.
Teams from central agencies, along with the Goa and Delhi Police, will take them into custody at the airport and produce them before the Patiala House Court, where the Goa Police will seek transit remand.
The December 6 blaze, which broke out at the Arpora nightclub, is suspected to have been triggered during a fire show conducted on the premises.
Visuals show Luthra brothers at Bangkok airport ahead of deportation
News agency ANI shared video footage on Tuesday showing Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra wearing face masks at Bangkok airport, moments before their departure to India.
As per news agency UNI, the brothers will be taken directly from the airport to court, where they are likely to be produced by around 2.30pm.
Charges under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, probe widens
The Goa Police have registered a case under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which carries a maximum punishment of up to 10 years’ imprisonment. Investigators are also examining multiple alleged violations related to fire safety, licensing norms and crowd management.
The FIR, filed on Dec 7 at the Arpora Anjuna Police Station in North Goa, invokes Sections 105, 125, 125(a), 125(b) and 287, read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
The FIR says the accused went ahead with a fire show at Birch by Romeo Lane without putting in place basic safety measures or fire-fighting facilities. Police also allege that the restaurant did not have emergency exit doors on the ground or deck floors, yet the event was still held.
The resulting fire led to the deaths of 25 people, including tourists and staff, while several others suffered serious injuries.
Deportation followed passport cancellation, India–Thailand coordination
Thai authorities detained the brothers from a resort in Phuket last week after Indian authorities suspended their passports and formally sought their deportation.
All required documentation, including Emergency Certificates issued after the passport cancellation, was furnished to the Thai side.
An Indian law enforcement team coordinated the process, with the Embassy of India in Bangkok remaining in constant touch with Thai authorities.
The deportation is being carried out under the India–Thailand extradition treaty that has been in force since 2015.
Thai officials have stressed that due process has been followed and that cooperation between the two countries continues to ensure a lawful handover.
Goa government forms special legal team
Meanwhile, the Goa government has constituted a special legal team to pursue the case effectively. Investigators are now piecing together evidence on all the alleged violations to firm up the charge sheet.
The swift deportation comes amid earlier concerns that the case could be delayed by prolonged legal proceedings in Bangkok due to competing claims and human rights issues linked to the cancellation of travel documents.
Police say the Luthra brothers fled to Thailand shortly after the Dec 6 fire, even as emergency responders were still battling the blaze at the Arpora nightclub. - The Statesman/ANN
