Caught in Thailand! Fugitive Goa nightclub owners detained after deadly fire kills 25

Visuals showed Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, restaurateurs from Delhi, with their hands tied as they stood beside local police officers holding their passports.

The duo, who operate the Romeo Lane chain with outlets in 22 cities across four countries, allegedly fled to Phuket after the fire at their Goa nightclub killed 25 people.

They face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence in connection with the blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, North Goa. Indian authorities are expected to seek their deportation.

Officials said the brothers logged into the MakeMyTrip platform at 1:17 am on December 7, just hours after the fire erupted. At the time, police and firefighters were still attempting to control the blaze and rescue those trapped inside. Immigration records later showed they boarded IndiGo flight 6E 1073 to Phuket, which departed Delhi at 5:30 am, indicating a swift and intentional exit.

While in Thailand, the brothers filed a transit anticipatory bail plea before a Rohini court, requesting four weeks’ protection from arrest and interim relief to allow their return without immediate detention.

Meanwhile, Goa Police in Delhi produced Ajay Gupta, another co-owner of the nightclub, before a magistrate. Gupta had been untraceable earlier, prompting the issuance of a Look Out Circular (LOC). He was detained, medically examined and will be transported to Goa for questioning.

A fourth owner, Surinder Kumar Khosla, a British national, is also under an active LOC.

Investigators have uncovered additional irregularities involving a mobile number used by the Luthra brothers. The SIM card was registered in the name of Ram Hari Singh, a former family driver who said he last worked for Saurabh Luthra in 2020 and was unaware of any SIM in his name.

Police also found discrepancies in the Luthras’ vehicle records. While they reportedly owned three cars in 2020, their fleet had expanded to multiple luxury vehicles before their departure. All of these vehicles are currently unaccounted for, and investigators suspect they were moved as part of a coordinated escape plan.

The family's newly built multi-crore residence in Goa has remained deserted since the incident, with police finding the house empty except for a single dog.

An Interpol Blue Corner Notice remains active against Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra as the probe widens. Investigators continue to examine the circumstances surrounding their sudden departure and the irregularities linked to the tragic nightclub fire.