Questions plea as Birch owners remain in Thailand; defence cites business travel, no intent to flee
PANAJI
Absconding owners of Birch by Romeo Lane, Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, were denied interim protection by a Delhi court on Wednesday, even as they asserted that they had not “fled” to Thailand but travelled there for business purposes.
The blaze at the Arpora club last weekend claimed 25 lives, with seven arrests made so far.
During proceedings at the Rohini Courts, the Luthra brothers sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail, arguing they feared immediate arrest upon return to India. Their legal representative also indicated plans to approach the Goa courts for further relief.
The State, however, requested additional time to file a status report and urged that the matter be adjourned till Friday. Senior Advocate Abhinav Mukerji, representing Goa, told the court that notices of non-bailable warrants (NBWs) had been issued by the competent court in Goa, and that Goa police, when visiting the Luthras’ residence in Delhi, were told by the family that the brothers’ whereabouts were unknown.
Additional Sessions Judge Vandana questioned the maintainability of the transit anticipatory bail application, stating that the applicants were not physically in India. “Where are the applicants?” she asked, to which senior advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir, representing the brothers, replied, “in Thailand, but they are residents of Delhi”. The court observed that for transit anticipatory bail, the applicant should be physically present. “How is this maintainable?” it questioned.
Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra, also representing the brothers, stressed that his clients were merely licensees of the building, not the owners. He also cited medical concerns for Saurabh, who reportedly suffers from epilepsy and hypertension, reiterating that the accused are licensed operators, not owners, of the club.
“I cannot even do repair work. I am in a peculiar situation: I want to come back to India, but they want to arrest me at the airport. Let me come back, and I will take my remedies in Goa,” he told the court. He also denied that the brothers had “fled” and reiterated that both are Delhi residents who travelled to Thailand for business.
Mir requested interim protection to allow the brothers to return to India without risk of arrest. “I went out for a business meeting, and during this period, this fiasco happened. I am willing to give an undertaking that I will remain within the court’s jurisdiction,” he said.
The court rejected the request for interim protection but adjourned the matter for further hearing on Thursday and directed the State to file its reply by then.
"Goa Police investigation has revealed that the Luthra brothers booked tickets to Thailand on the MMT platform at 1:17 am on December 7. While Goa Police and Fire Services were battling the blaze and rescuing those trapped, the accused were preparing to flee the country," the statement reads.
Luthras suspected to be hiding in Thailand’s tourist district
PANAJI: Sources said the absconding Luthra brothers may have chosen to hide in Pa Tong, a tourist-heavy area in Thailand where they could blend in easily with visitors.
Officials said Thailand’s hotels usually insist on strict documentation, including biometrics and passport verification, making it harder for fugitives to check in.
However, Pa Tong has a higher number of homestays and resorts where checks are comparatively relaxed. Sources said they suspect the brothers may have opted for such accommodation to avoid documentation.
The accused had fled to Phuket, Thailand shortly after the fire on December 6 at Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub claimed 25 lives.
