Luthra brothers held in Phuket as Goa fire probe widens
Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra now sit in detention in Phuket. Thai police picked them up after a Look-Out Circular and an Interpol Blue Notice alerted authorities. The brothers left India on an IndiGo flight barely five hours after a deadly fire swept through their Birch by Romeo Lane club in Goa. The blaze killed 25 people. Police suspect a cylinder blast triggered the inferno.
Soon after the incident, investigators found that the duo booked tickets at 1:17 am on December 7, right when firefighters battled the flames and rescuers searched for survivors. This timing raised immediate suspicion. Police teams later confirmed that the brothers travelled to Thailand while IndiGo faced a nationwide meltdown of delays and cancellations. Their smooth departure in the middle of the chaos pushed the probe in a new direction.
Meanwhile, Goa Police prepared to bring them back for trial. A team will fly to Thailand shortly. Officers say they want to question the brothers about the club’s safety lapses and their sudden exit. Investigators also want clarity on the business roles the duo claimed to have.
Earlier, the brothers approached a Rohini court in Delhi seeking pre-arrest bail. They argued that they did not run daily operations at the Arpora club. They accused authorities of “vindictive behaviour” and insisted their Thailand trip was a scheduled business meeting. They also claimed that they planned the travel before the fire.
However, the FIR tells a harsher story. Goa Police say the club lacked basic fire-safety tools. Officers found no extinguishers, no alarms, no suppression systems and no valid fire audit. They also noted that the owners and senior staff hosted a fire act without proper caution. They allegedly knew the stunt could spark a disaster. The FIR adds that the club had no emergency exits on both the deck and ground floor. Several guests could not escape because of this.
As investigators linked more lapses to the owners, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Madhav stepped in. He vowed swift action and warned all clubs in the state to follow safety rules. He also ordered the demolition of a second property owned by the Luthras. Officials say the shack was illegally built and failed basic safety checks.
On Tuesday, officers detained Ajay Gupta, a co-owner of Birch by Romeo Lane, in Delhi. He told India Today TV that he was only a sleeping partner. He said he had no knowledge of the safety gaps or decisions that led to the tragedy.
The case now moves into a crucial stage. With the brothers in Thai custody, Goa Police hope to accelerate their return. Investigators want answers about the fire, the missing safety measures and the late-night ticket booking. As the probe widens, the state government continues its crackdown on unsafe nightlife venues. The tragedy has triggered a broader debate on fire safety, regulation and accountability in Goa’s booming club scene.
