Bangkok [Thailand]: The owners of the ill-fated Birch Club in Arpora, Goa—Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra—are currently being held at a detention centre in the Thai capital Bangkok after being moved from Phuket. The brothers had fled to Phuket on the morning following the December 6 fire at their club that claimed 25 lives.
Deportation procedures for the Luthra brothers are underway, with the Goa Police in continuous coordination with central agencies. Thai police detained the brothers at a resort in Phuket on Thursday after India moved to suspend their passports, according to local media reports.
Local police said the detention followed a request from Indian law enforcement agencies. Thai authorities confirmed that an Indian law enforcement team is coordinating formalities for the brothers’ return, made possible under an extradition treaty between India and Thailand that has been in force since 2015.
Thai officials stressed that due process will be followed while cooperation continues between the two countries. Authorities said they are working with Indian counterparts to ensure a prompt and lawful handover.
The Embassy of India in Bangkok is also actively coordinating with Thai authorities in the case. Sources said the brothers were detained in Phuket following the Embassy’s intervention. Thai authorities are currently processing the matter under local law, including steps to deport them to India.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant reaffirmed that strict action will be taken against the accused and said the government is committed to securing justice for the victims. “Our government will work to give justice to the 25 people who lost their lives. We will put them behind bars,” he said on Thursday.
The Chief Minister added that six people have been arrested so far in connection with the tragic fire. Three officials have been suspended, and the investigation is being conducted on a fast-track basis. One of the three club owners was arrested in Delhi, while a Look Out Circular was issued against the other two owners. He also noted that their passports were cancelled and that, with assistance from the Ministry of External Affairs and the Home Ministry, the Luthra brothers were detained in Thailand.
Meanwhile, Goa Police said the custody of another accused in the case, Bharat Kohli, has been extended by six days for further investigation. The Sessions Court in Mapusa has issued notices on anticipatory bail applications filed by Arpora Panchayat Sarpanch Roshan Redkar and Secretary Raghuvir Bagkar.
Police have been granted time until December 16 at 2:30 PM to file a detailed reply and present arguments, according to a press note. Over 50 statements have been recorded so far from officials, workers, and victims connected to the incident.
On the night of December 6, a devastating blaze at the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub claimed 25 lives, including five tourists and 20 staff members. The club is owned by Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra.