A Delhi court has granted the Goa Police a 36-hour transit remand of Ajay Gupta, an accused in the Goa nightclub fire case that claimed several lives.
The order allows investigators to take him to Goa for further questioning and complete essential legal procedures. The development is seen as a key step in tightening the investigation and holding those responsible for the tragedy to account.
During the hearing, the Saket Court instructed that Ajay Gupta receive proper medical care while in custody, noting submissions that he is suffering from certain health issues. Goa Police will now transport him to the state, produce him before the appropriate court within the given time frame, and continue probing possible safety lapses and alleged negligence linked to the deadly fire.
Gupta is one of the three partners of Birch by Romeo Lane, a nightclub in North Goa that caught fire on Saturday night.
The tragedy claimed the lives of 25 people, including five tourists and 20 staff members. His partners, brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, left for Phuket in Thailand just hours after the incident. Authorities are now working to bring them back to India for questioning.
According to the report, police began tracing Ajay Gupta soon after the fire, but he kept moving between locations and used his phone sparingly to avoid being tracked. By Monday, a lookout circular was issued, and police teams began searching several locations in Delhi linked to him.
Investigators say Gupta then went to the brain and spine hospital and got himself admitted, telling doctors he was suffering from a spinal issue. He allegedly planned to stay there for three to four days while deciding his next move.
However, officers from the Delhi Police Crime Branch, who are helping the Goa Police in the case, located him at the hospital and arrested him. Gupta will be presented in court and then taken to Goa for further investigation.
Speaking to the media, Gupta claimed he was “just a partner” in the club and had no role in its day-to-day operations. But GST documents show that he and the Luthra brothers are listed as partners in the nightclub.
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