PTI, NEW DELHI: Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa where a massive fire killed 25 peo ple, were arrested on Tues day as soon as they landed in Delhi after being deport ed from Thailand. The brothers arrived in the national capital in an IndiGo flight and were im mediately handed over to authorities for further legal proceedings, 10 days after a blaze tore through the nightclub in Arpora on the night of December 6-7. The Goa Police later pro duced both the accused in Patiala House Court before Duty Metropolitan Magis trate Twinkle Chawla, Delhi and obtained their transit remand. The Goa Police team is like ly to land in Goa along with Luthra brothers at around 11 am on Wednesday. They were also taken to the Indira Gandhi super speciality hospital, Dwarka for their medical check-up. Gaurav, 44 and Saurabh, 40 were questioned at the Delhi airport, the formali ties taking several hours. The deportation comes amid an ongoing probe into the deadly blaze, which trig gered widespread outrage and led to scrutiny over alleged safety violations and lapses by the nightclub management. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued against them. The two were de tained by Thai authorities in Phuket on December 11 following the interven tion of the Indian mission, which was in close touch with the Thai government in the case. Several videos circu lating online showed the Luthra brothers at the Bangkok airport ahead of their departure. They were handed over to the Indian authorities on arrival for further legal proceedings in the case. Five managers and staff members have already been ar rested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire. Several reporters and camera persons were travelling on the flight. As the plane landed in Delhi, a TV reporter attempted to record the Luthra brothers inside the air craft, prompting accompanying officials to tighten securi ty around the two men and prevent them from talking to anybody. The Luthra brothers are facing a case of culpable hom icide and negligence following the December 6 tragedy, which investigators allege was compounded by the night club operating in violation of mandatory fire safety norms. The incident raised serious questions over alleged fire safety violations and lapses by the management. Gaurav and Saurabh fled to Phuket in the early hours of December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompt ing the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports. The duo was detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian govern ment which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations. On December 11, a Delhi court rejected the transit an ticipatory bail pleas. Additional Sessions Judge Vandana termed the allegations against the brothers ‘prima facie grave and serious’ and severely criticised their ‘conduct’. The court took note of the police investigation that the brothers had booked tickets to Phuket one hour after the fire, a fact their counsel had initially ‘concealed’ while seek ing protection from immediate arrest. The judge said that leaving immediately after the tragedy was a clear attempt to ‘evade the legal process’. Observing that ‘someone has to be held accountable’ for the tragedy, the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday converted a writ petition against the nightclub into a suo motu public interest litigation (PIL).
Deported from Thailand, Luthras arrested in Delhi
