The owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa’s Arpora, where a devastating fire earlier this month claimed 25 lives, are being deported from Thailand to India on Tuesday.
Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, who had left the country after the incident, are expected to arrive in Delhi this afternoon.
The brothers are scheduled to land between 1:30 pm and 1:45 pm on an IndiGo flight from Bangkok.
Custody at Airport, Transit Remand to Be Sought
Upon arrival, teams from central agencies, along with the Goa Police and Delhi Police, will take the accused into custody at the airport. They will be produced before the Patiala House Court, where the Goa Police is expected to seek transit remand to take them to Goa for further investigation.
According to reports, the brothers are likely to be produced in court by around 2:30 pm.
Fire Show Suspected to Have Triggered Blaze
The fire broke out on December 6 at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora. Investigators suspect that the blaze was triggered during a fire show conducted at the venue.
The incident resulted in the deaths of 25 people, including tourists and staff members, while several others sustained serious injuries.
Visuals Show Brothers at Bangkok Airport
Visuals aired by news agency ANI on Tuesday showed Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra wearing face masks at Bangkok airport shortly before boarding their flight to India.
The footage confirmed their departure following the completion of deportation formalities by Thai authorities.
Case Registered Under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita
The Goa Police have registered a case under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), which carries a maximum punishment of up to 10 years’ imprisonment. The investigation is also probing multiple alleged violations related to fire safety norms, licensing conditions and crowd management.
The FIR, registered on December 7 at the Arpora Anjuna Police Station in North Goa, invokes Sections 105, 125, 125(a), 125(b) and 287, read with Section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.
According to the FIR, the accused went ahead with a fire show without basic safety arrangements or adequate firefighting facilities. Police have also alleged that the establishment lacked emergency exit doors on both the ground and deck floors, yet the event was allowed to proceed.
Deportation After Passport Cancellation
Thai authorities detained the brothers from a resort in Phuket last week after Indian authorities suspended their passports and formally requested their deportation. Emergency Certificates were issued following the passport cancellation and shared with Thai officials as part of the process.
An Indian law enforcement team coordinated closely with authorities in Thailand, while the Embassy of India in Bangkok remained in constant contact with the Thai side. The deportation is being carried out under the India–Thailand extradition treaty that has been in force since 2015.
Thai officials have said that due process was followed and that cooperation between the two countries continues to ensure a lawful transfer.
Goa Government Forms Special Legal Team
Meanwhile, the Goa government has constituted a special legal team to ensure effective prosecution in the case. Investigators are now consolidating evidence related to the alleged violations as they work towards filing the charge sheet.
The swift deportation comes amid earlier concerns that legal proceedings in Bangkok could delay the process due to competing claims and human rights issues surrounding the cancellation of travel documents.
Police have stated that the Luthra brothers left for Thailand shortly after the December 6 fire, even as emergency responders were still battling the blaze at the Arpora nightclub.
