Ajay Gupta, who de scribed himself as a “silent partner” in the fire-ravaged Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, was brought to Goa from Delhi on Wednes day night for questioning. The police landed with Gupta at Mopa’s Manohar International Airport at 9:45 pm and took him to the An juna police station for further investigation. Gupta, a Jammu resident, was earlier pro duced before Additional Chief Judicial Mag istrate Vinod Joshi in Delhi, who granted the Goa Police a 36-hour transit remand to bring him to the coastal state. He will be formally arrested in Goa once the transfer formalities are completed. Gupta had been evading investigators since the day of the Arpora fire that claimed 25 lives. He was eventually traced to a pri vate hospital in Lajpat Nagar, where he had sought treatment for a spinal injury.
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After receiving medical clearance, he was taken into cus tody and brought to the Delhi Police Crime Branch office. Speaking briefly to reporters while entering the Crime Branch office, Gupta reiterated that he was “only a sleep ing partner.” A senior official confirmed that he would be formally arrested in Goa. He is the sixth person held in con nection with the case. The court directed that Gupta receive appropriate med ical care and timely medication during his transit, taking into account ongoing air travel disruptions caused by cur tailed IndiGo flights. A Goa Police spokesperson said an LOC had been issued after earlier attempts to locate Gupta at his Delhi residence failed. “He was later found and detained in Delhi before being brought to Goa for investigation,” the spokesperson added.
