Goa nightclub fire: Delhi court allows two-day transit remand of Luthra brothers

Luthra brothers

A Delhi court on Tuesday allowed the Goa Police a two-day transit remand of Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub where 25 people were killed in a fire on December 6.

The Goa Police produced both the accused before Judicial Magistrate Twinkle Chawla in the Patiala House Court to seek transit remand of three days.

Allowing two days of transit remand, the court also directed the police officials to provide prescribed medicines to both accused.

The investigating officer informed the court that they will be taken to Goa by flight at the earliest.

Both the accused were taken to court in two separate police vehicles amid heavy security.

This comes as both of them landed in India and were arrested by the Goa Police after the Thai authorities deported the Luthra brothers to India.

They were also taken to the Safdarjang Hospital for their medical checkup.

The deportation comes amid an ongoing probe into the deadly blaze, which triggered widespread outrage and led to scrutiny over alleged safety violations and lapses by the nightclub management.

The Luthras, co-owners of the nightclub located in Arpora in North Goa, left for Phuket in Thailand shortly after the fire incident.

An Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued against them.

The two were detained by the Thai authorities in Phuket on December 11 following the intervention of the Indian mission, which was in close touch with the Thai government in the case.

Several videos circulating 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 arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.