Luthra brothers, who fled to Thailand after Goa club fire, run 42 shell firms from 1 Delhi address

Gaurav (left) and Saurabh Luthra (right) fled to Phuket just hours after the deadly fire ripped through their nightclub in Goa.

The owners of Birch by Romeo Lane in Goa, where 25 people died in a fire caused by fireworks on December 6, ran 42 shell companies under the guise of their restaurant empire, Times Now reported.

As per the report, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra were directors in all the companies, which were all registered at a single address in north-west Delhi. All companies were opened in last two years.

The owners, brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Arpora, are now the subjects of an Interpol Blue Corner notice. Authorities believe the Delhi-based businessmen fled to Phuket, Thailand, just hours after the deadly blaze.

The international notice, secured in an accelerated two-day process with central agencies, is intended to trace their whereabouts and prevent further movement.

“The notice would help trace the accused and also prevent them from migrating to any other country from their present destination,” a senior Goa police officer stated, as reported by TOI.

The timeline of the brothers’ escape is a key focus. The first police alert concerning the fire was logged at 12.04 am on Sunday, December 7. By 5.30 am the same morning, the Luthras had reportedly boarded IndiGo flight 6E 1073 from New Delhi to Phuket. A domestic lookout circular was issued against them by that Sunday evening.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has confirmed an active effort to secure their return, saying that a police team will be sent to Thailand. This effort will rely on the formal extradition treaty between India and Thailand, which has been in force since 2015.

The net has widened to include other figures linked to the operation. Alongside Ajay Gupta, a lookout circular has been issued for UK national Surinder Kumar Khosla, the owner of the property that housed the nightclub.

“Khosla is a British citizen,” Deputy Inspector General of Police Varsha Sharma confirmed during a press briefing in Anjuna.

In a parallel administrative strike, the regional passport office in New Delhi has served the absent Luthra brothers with a notice, demanding an explanation within seven days for why their passports should not be impounded.

Meanwhile, five individuals directly involved in the nightclub’s management have been arrested. They are chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and Bharat Kohli.

DIG Varsha Sharma stated that the Goa Police are coordinating with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and Interpol to effect the Luthras’ return. The financial dealings of all accused are also under scrutiny by central agencies.