VOIWORLD/Panaji
Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra — owners of the Romeo Lane hospitality chain — were detained in Thailand on Thursday morning, days after a massive fire at their Goa nightclub killed 25 people. The brothers had fled to Phuket hours after the blaze erupted at Birch by Romeo Lane in North Goa late Saturday night.
Exclusive images showed the two in custody, holding their passports. According to government sources, the Luthras will be deported to India within 24 hours, with Indian officials already en route to Thailand to bring them back.
The brothers face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence. Their detention came shortly after the Indian authorities suspended their passports, making their continued stay in Thailand illegal and preventing further travel.
Investigations have revealed that the Luthras booked their flight to Phuket while emergency teams were still battling the fire and rescuing people trapped inside the nightclub.
Meanwhile, Ajay Gupta — who introduced himself as a silent partner and investor in the establishment — was arrested in Delhi and transported to Goa on transit remand for questioning. He arrived at Manohar International Airport in Mopa around 9:45 pm on Wednesday and was taken to Anjuna police station for further investigation, officials said.
Key Developments So Far
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Deportation Expected Within 24 Hours: Government sources confirmed that Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra will be brought back to India soon, with officials already heading to Thailand.
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Detention Triggered by Passport Suspension: The suspension of their passports rendered their stay in Thailand illegal, leading to their detention by local authorities.
