Goa fire tragedy: Luthra brothers had ‘ultimate control’ over nightclub, organised fireworks - police tell court

Luthra brothers

The alleged principal owners of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub in North Goa have been remanded in police custody after being deported from Thailand, where they fled hours after a catastrophic fire killed 25 patrons earlier this month.

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra were returned to Delhi on an emergency travel certificate on Tuesday afternoon and immediately arrested by a joint team of Goa and Delhi Police. A court in the capital granted investigators a 48-hour transit remand, authorising their transfer to Goa for intensive questioning.

The fire, one of the deadliest in Goa's history, erupted around 11.45 pm on December 6 during an event attended by over 150 people. Preliminary investigations by the Directorate of Fire Services indicate that electric firecrackers, launched as part of the event's pyrotechnics, struck the venue's wooden ceiling, causing flames to spread rapidly.

According to details from a transit remand application filed by the Goa Police and accessed by CNN-News18, the brothers were described as the "main owners" who exercised "ultimate control" over the Arpora-based establishment. The police told the court this control extended to safety arrangements, statutory permissions and event management.

The Judicial Magistrate First Class, Twinkle Chawla of Patiala House Court, noted in her order that investigators had presented sufficient material to establish the Luthras' role as owners and partners, holding them responsible for operational decisions, including safety compliance.

The application specifically alleged the brothers were directly responsible for organising the fatal fireworks display "without adequate precautions or proper safety equipment."

Crucially, the remand papers and police sources reveal the venue had allegedly been operating illegally for approximately 18 months without mandatory permissions and on a licence that had not been renewed since 2024. Despite these apparent lapses, no enforcement action was taken prior to the tragedy.

Police allege the Luthra brothers orchestrated a swift escape. While attending a wedding in Delhi on the night of the fire, they were informed of the blaze by a staff member. Investigators state they then booked flights to Phuket, Thailand, at 1.17 am on December 7 and boarded a 5.30 am departure — within 90 minutes of the fire breaking out and as emergency operations continued in Goa.

A lookout circular was swiftly issued, followed by a Blue Corner Notice. The Ministry of External Affairs impounded their passports. Last week, Thai authorities detained the brothers in Patong for overstaying without valid documents, acting on a request from Indian agencies. They were later moved to an immigration facility in Bangkok.

The Indian Embassy issued an emergency certificate for their one-way return to India, facilitated under the India-Thailand extradition framework. Upon landing in Delhi on an IndiGo flight around 2.10 pm on Tuesday, they were taken into custody. During their subsequent court hearing, both brothers were reportedly seen breaking down in tears upon seeing family members.

In a statement on Tuesday night, Goa Police confirmed, "After taking custody of Luthra brothers in New Delhi and on obtaining transit remand, Goa Police is bringing both the accused to Goa." The accused were expected to arrive in Goa by Wednesday morning.

The Luthras are the latest arrests in an expanding investigation. Other detainees include Gurgaon-based partner Ajay Gupta and several senior managerial staff of the nightclub. The probe continues to examine the full spectrum of lapses that led to the disaster.