Goa Police have told a Delhi court that Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra fled India within an hour of learning about the massive fire at their nightclub — Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora — which killed 25 people and injured several others. Opposing their anticipatory bail plea, investigators argued that the brothers had no legitimate business in Thailand and went there solely to evade arrest. The defence, however, insisted that the two men would return to India under any circumstances.
During the hearing, prosecutors dismantled the Luthras’ claim that they had left for Thailand on December 6 for a pre-planned business meeting. According to police, the brothers booked their tickets at 1:17 am on December 7 — shortly after news of the devastating blaze reached them. Police pointed out that this timeline directly contradicted their statements and suggested that the trip was an attempt to escape rather than a scheduled business visit. Officials also noted that several key licences for the nightclub had not been renewed, undermining the defence’s argument that all permissions were in place.
Goa Police further submitted that the Luthras had no known commercial ties in Thailand. Officers said that when they visited the family home in Delhi, the mother and sister claimed they did not have the brothers’ phone numbers — behaviour police described as suspicious and evasive. The submission stated that the duo were “absconding and concealing themselves,” especially since a Look Out Circular remains active and Interpol has issued a Blue Corner Notice for them. Prosecutors emphasised that while people were dying and the nightclub was burning, the owners “left the country instead of helping.”
The hearing also included scrutiny of the nightclub’s alleged safety violations. Prosecutors accused the owners of running the establishment with expired licences and dangerous structural conditions. They argued that hosting fire shows despite having only a single entry and exit amounted to willful negligence that “led innocent patrons into a trap.” Claims of medical conditions put forward by the defence were dismissed as “bogus,” with police asserting that the individuals mentioned had “not seen a doctor.” Another co-accused, Ajay Gupta, has already joined the investigation, prompting prosecutors to ask why the Luthras were being treated as an exception.
Investigators also rejected the brothers’ later claim that they were unaware of operational lapses and that local managers handled everything. Police countered that every official document bore their signatures, and they themselves had applied for all permissions, making it impossible to detach them from responsibility.
Meanwhile, the brothers’ lawyer, Tanveer Ahmed Mir, told the court that Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra had been advised to return to India and would do so regardless of the legal risks. The two men were detained in Phuket by Thai authorities following India’s request, after officials confirmed that they fled the country just as police and firefighters were still trying to control the blaze and rescue trapped victims. The process to bring them back to India is currently underway, with the Goa Police coordinating with the CBI and Interpol to complete their return for interrogation and further legal proceedings.
