Goa – A Goa court on Wednesday remanded nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra to five days’ police custody in connection with the devastating Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives on December 6. The brothers, accused in the fire at their restaurant Birch by Romeo Lane, were brought to Goa after being deported from Thailand, where they had fled within hours of the tragedy.
Court Proceedings and Medical Plea Rejection
Judge Puja Sardesai presided over the case involving the Goa nightclub fire accused. The Luthra brothers were first taken for medical examination at a primary health centre and then referred to Asilo District Hospital before being produced in court. Their defense counsel submitted special requests for mattresses during custody, citing medical conditions—Saurabh’s spinal cord issue between vertebrae L4 and L5, and Gaurav’s tailbone problem.
However, Judge Sardesai ordered a fresh medical examination for the Goa nightclub fire accused. After reviewing the medical report stating that the duo does not require special medical assistance, the judge rejected their plea. “You had asked for a mattress. The doctors have said that you don’t require it,” Sardesai stated while remanding them to five days’ police custody until December 22.
Details of the Goa Nightclub Fire Incident
The Goa nightclub fire broke out around 11:45 pm on December 6 at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora. The tragedy resulted in 25 deaths, with 20 victims being staffers working in the basement kitchen who were left with no escape route after the fire engulfed the floor above them. Medical reports confirmed that 23 of the 25 victims died due to suffocation, highlighting the severe safety violations at the establishment.
The Goa nightclub fire has exposed multiple regulatory failures and illegal operations. The property where the incident occurred was constructed without a construction license, lacked an occupancy certificate, and did not have necessary permissions including a No Objection Certificate from the Fire Department. A demolition notice had been issued against the property prior to the tragedy.
Flight to Thailand and Deportation
In a controversial sequence of events following the Goa nightclub fire, authorities revealed that even as the fire was gutting the structure, the Luthra brothers booked tickets to Thailand at 1:17 am and flew out at 5:30 am. The lookout notice against them could only be issued 24 hours later, allowing them time to escape to Phuket, Thailand.
The brothers appeared sleep-deprived as they huddled with their lawyers in the courtroom during the hearing on the Goa nightclub fire case. Their swift departure from the country has raised serious questions about accountability and their knowledge of safety violations at their establishment.
Criminal Charges and FIR
The First Information Report filed last Sunday charges the Luthra brothers in the Goa nightclub fire case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. These include Section 105 for culpable homicide not amounting to murder, Sections 125(a) and (b) for endangering life and personal safety, and Section 287 for negligent conduct with fire or combustible matter.
The investigation into the Goa nightclub fire has led to the arrest of six people so far. These include four managers: chief general manager Rajiv Modak, 49; gate manager Priyanshu Thakur, 32; bar manager Rajveer Singhania, 32; and general manager Vivek Singh, 27. Additionally, Ajay Gupta, a business partner of the Luthras, and Bharat Singh Kohli, who managed day-to-day operations on behalf of the Luthras, have been arrested.
Defense Claims and Police Investigation
In filings before the Delhi Court, the brothers claimed they were not responsible for daily operations of the club in the Goa nightclub fire case. They stated that the establishment was managed by restaurant managers and blamed “an external third-party performer who brought her own equipment, staff,” arguing that “the legal provisions do not extend the liability” to them. Their bail plea characterized the incident as “purely an accident” with “no criminal intent.”
Also Read: Luthra Brothers Detained Thailand: Critical Updates on Delhi Return Tuesday
Police officials investigating the Goa nightclub fire intend to interrogate the duo concerning operations of clubs and restaurants they run in the state, many allegedly operating illegally. “We will also confront them concerning their claim that they were not involved in the daily operations of the establishment,” a police official stated.
The police have recorded statements of 50 witnesses in the Goa nightclub fire investigation and plan to take the accused to the incident site for reconstruction of events. Cross-questioning of all accused will begin, as each has denied responsibility.
Property Owner Still at Large
Police remain on the lookout for Surinder Kumar Khosla, the property owner in the Goa nightclub fire case. In 2023, Khosla signed a lease and license agreement with Being GS Hospitality Goa Arpora LLP, the company under which the nightclub operated. Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, along with Ajay Gupta, are listed as partners in the firm. Khosla, a British citizen, is understood to be out of the country currently.
Victim Families Demand Justice
Representatives of the Joshi family, who lost four members in the Goa nightclub fire, pleaded that the court show no leniency for the accused. Advocate Vishnu Joshi stated that families are satisfied with the seriousness shown by Goa police in prosecuting the case. “It is a case where 25 people have lost their lives and 25 families are today without their sole bread earners. We argue that this is a rare case and exemplary punishment be shown,” he stated.
