Thai authorities on Tuesday deported Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, the owners of a Goa nightclub where a devastating fire claimed 25 lives earlier this month, handing them over to Indian authorities as investigations into the tragedy intensify. The brothers were flown to Delhi and are expected to be produced before a court to face charges linked to culpable homicide and negligence.
The two men were escorted by Thai police at Bangkok airport, visuals of which circulated widely on social media. Their deportation follows their detention in Phuket on December 11, after Indian authorities sought assistance from the Indian mission in Thailand, which coordinated closely with the local government to facilitate their return.
Gaurav Luthra, 44, and Saurabh Luthra, 40, are co-owners of the popular nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ located in Arpora, North Goa. The deadly fire on December 6 sparked national outrage and brought the spotlight on alleged safety lapses at the establishment. Although the brothers were reportedly attending a wedding in Delhi at the time of the incident, they left the country soon after, travelling to Thailand. Subsequently, an Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued to trace their whereabouts.
Indian authorities cancelled the brothers’ passports and submitted a detailed dossier to Thai officials outlining their alleged role in the incident, formally requesting their deportation. India and Thailand are bound by an extradition treaty that has been in force since June 2015, which aided the swift action.
The fire has already led to the arrest of five managers and staff members of the nightclub by Goa Police. Legal scrutiny has also intensified, with the Bombay High Court on Monday converting a civil suit related to the incident into a Public Interest Litigation, underscoring the need for accountability in the case.
As the brothers return to India, investigators are expected to question them extensively to determine responsibility for the safety failures that led to one of Goa’s deadliest nightclub tragedies in recent years.
