Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers' police remand extended to Dec 26

A Mapusa court extended the police remand for Luthra brothers, owners of the Goa nightclub where a fire killed 25. A third partner is in judicial custody. The brothers face charges of negligence and using forged documents for the club.

A Mapusa court on Monday extended the police remand of the Luthra brothers--Saurabh and Gaurav-- till December 26. The Luthra brothers are co-owners of 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, in which 25 people died, and several others were injured in a fire on December 6. Their custody was extended by the Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court.

Also, the Mapusa JMFC Court remanded Ajay Gupta to 14 days' Judicial Custody. Gupta is the third partner of Birch by Romeo Lane.

Brothers Deported from Thailand

Earlier, on December 16, the Luthra brothers were brought from Delhi to Goa after being deported from Thailand. A Delhi court had granted the Goa Police a 48-hour transit remand of the accused after they landed at Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport in New Delhi.

On December 17, the court produced the accused before the Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court after they were arrested at Delhi airport. The court had granted 5-day police custody of the brothers.

Allegations of Forgery and Criminal Negligence

According to advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing the victim's families, told ANI that new revelations have come forward, with police alleging that the trade licence and other related documents of the brothers were forged The fire at the Arpora nightclub on December 6 that claimed 25 lives, with the government initiating criminal proceedings against the club owners over alleged negligence and violation of mandatory safety norms.

According to the Goa police, the firework event was organised at the club without proper fire safety equipment and other essential safety gadgets. The police said the custodial presence of the accused in Goa was required at a critical stage of the investigation.

Placing its submissions before the Patiala House Court, the Goa Police said the accused are the main owners and partners of 'Birch by Romeo Lane' in North Goa's Arpora area and had ultimate control over the operation of the club, including safety arrangements, permissions and events held at the premises. The Luthra brothers, despite knowing that the restaurant lacks emergency exit doors on the ground or deck floors for evacuation in an emergency, organised the fire show, police said.

The Goa Police had filed a criminal case dated December 7 at the Police Station Arpora Anjuna, North Goa, under sections 105, 125, 125(a), 125(b), and 287, read with 3(5) of the Bhartiya Nyaya Sanhita 2023. (ANI)

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)