NEW DELHI: Goa Police on Thursday told the court that Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, wanted in the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub fire that killed 25 people – had “missed” investigators and showed “no cooperation” during the probe, according to statements made in court.Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa, had moved Delhi’s Rohini court seeking anticipatory bail, and the hearing continued for the second day.
Opposing their anticipatory bail pleas, police said the brothers left for Phuket shortly after the December 6 blaze and inaccurately claimed they had departed India earlier than records show. “There is no cooperation on the part of Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, which disentitled them for extraordinary protection by this court. They have no business in Thailand. They left the country on December 7. Though, they said that they had left on the night of December 6. Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra misled the court, misled the authorities and left the country,” police submitted, as per ANI.Investigators told the court that both brothers, along with partner Ajay Gupta, were signatories of the club’s operations. They added that the Panchayat license for the venue had lapsed and had not been renewed at the time of the incident. The blaze broke out during a musical night attended by nearly 100 people. Videos from minutes before the incident showed performers dancing as electric firecrackers were set off, a likely trigger. The club’s extensive flammable decor, lack of functional fire-safety equipment and a narrow access road that left fire engines stranded about 400 meters away worsened the situation.Twenty-five people, five tourists and 20 staff members, died, most from inhaling toxic smoke while trapped in the basement.Four staffers were arrested soon after the incident, while the Luthra brothers left for Thailand hours after booking their tickets as the fire was still being extinguished. Their partner Ajay Gupta was arrested in Delhi and later moved to Goa for questioning. Both Saurabh and Gaurav have since been detained in Thailand and are expected to be deported.
What the Luthras claim
In their bail petition, the brothers argue they are licensees, not owners, of the building, and insist they traveled to Thailand for a business meeting rather than to evade investigators. They have sought four weeks’ transit anticipatory bail to avoid immediate arrest upon arrival.The court will continue hearing their pleas as the investigation into one of Goa’s deadliest nightclub fires proceeds.
