PANAJI: Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, the owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, where a fire claimed 25 lives on December 6, were officially arrested by the Goa police at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi a while ago.
They were deported from Bangkok, Thailand, and brought to Delhi under CBI escort on an IndiGo flight that departed around 10.50 am and landed at 1.55 pm. Teams from the Delhi and Goa police were present at the airport to take them into custody.
Goa police took them into custody at the immigration counter soon after their arrival. They will be produced before the Patiala House Court for transit remand. Medical examinations will be conducted before they are flown to Goa, around midnight.
The accused, charged with culpable homicide and negligence, will be taken directly to the Anjuna Police Station for questioning and produced before the Mapusa court on Wednesday for police custody.
"The Goa Police has taken custody of absconding accused Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra upon their arrival in Delhi following deportation by Thai authorities in connection with the Birch by Romeo Lane fire incident. All necessary legal formalities are being completed, and further investigation is underway as per the law. Additional updates will be issued in due course," reads a statement issued by the Goa Police.
The deportation process began last Friday; however, the weekend holiday in Thailand delayed the process, which resumed on Monday. The Rohini court had rejected their transit anticipatory bail plea last week. The Delhi-based entrepreneurs had fled to Phuket, Thailand, barely 90 minutes after the deadly blaze at their nightclub on December 6 that killed 25 people.
Meanwhile, the High Court of Bombay at Goa will be hearing two public interest litigations, including a suo motu PIL linked to the Birch nightclub fire, together on January 12. Another writ petition filed by the owners of the property will be heard on January 8.
