Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the Birch By Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa’s Arpora, where a massive fire killed 25 people, told a Delhi court on Wednesday (December 10) that they had flown to Thailand for “work reasons” and wanted to return to India. They informed the Rohini court that they now want to return to India to cooperate in the case of the Goa nightclub fire, but fear a remand.
Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra have also asked for a four-week transit anticipatory bail to avoid immediate arrest after they return to Delhi from Phuket, Thailand. They also requested temporary protection from arrest, which was denied.
Next session Justice Vandana, who was hearing the anticipatory bail of the accused persons while in transit, asked Goa to respond to the anticipatory bail in transit filed by the two brothers and fixed the next date of hearing for Thursday, December 11.
An Interpol Blue Corner notice has been issued against two brothers who fled to Thailand hours after the tragedy at their nightclub. At least 25 people, mostly tourists, were killed in the inferno.
Earlier in the day, Ajay Gupta, one of the co-owners of Goa’s ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, was taken into custody and produced before the Saket court. When Ajay Gupta was brought to Delhi’s extortion and kidnapping cell of the crime branch, with a mask covering his face, he said he was “just a sidekick” at the nightclub.
“A Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against him after the Goa police failed to locate him in Delhi during the initial search. He was later located at a private hospital in Lajpat Nagar, where he reportedly confessed to having spine-related health problems. After medical examination, he was detained and brought to the crime branch for further procedures,” a source said, according to PTI.
So far, the Goa police have arrested five employees of the nightclub – Senior General Manager Rajiv Modak, General Manager Vivk Singh, Bar Manager Rajiv Singhania, Gate Manager Riyanshu Thakur and employee Bharat Kohli – in connection with the tragedy.
