Birch nightclub fire: Gaurav, Saurabh Luthra to be flown to Goa today; duo to produced at Mapusa court

NEW DELHI: Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, Goa, are being transported to Goa by the state police on Wednesday following their arrest at Delhi’s IGI Airport immigration. The brothers were deported to India from Thailand, ending a 10-day international search after the deadly fire at their nightclub that claimed 25 lives.A Delhi court had earlier granted the Goa Police a two-day transit remand to facilitate their transfer. The Luthra brothers will be produced before a judicial magistrate in Mapusa, Goa, as the investigation into the incident continues. The duo fled India on Dec 7, hours after a fire at their nightclub claimed 25 lives. They had been staying at the Indigo Hotel in Phuket and were deported to India on Tuesday under escort by Thai authorities.At Bangkok airport, the brothers were masked and surrounded by immigration officials, seated at the rear of the aircraft under security. They were produced at Delhi’s Patiala House Court around 6.45 pm, where Goa police requested three days’ custody. The JMFC granted two-day transit remand. After medical examination, they were taken back to the airport to be flown to Goa, expected to arrive around 11 am on Wednesday, according to DySP Nilesh Rane.Their passports had been suspended by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) after a lookout notice, prompting the issuance of emergency travel documents by the Indian embassy in Thailand. The Luthra brothers had been detained by Thai authorities for staying illegally in the country, and a special team traveled to Phuket to facilitate their deportation.Goa police have registered an FIR against the duo under various sections of the BNS, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Local courts had rejected their anticipatory transit bail last week.So far, several associates linked to the nightclub have been arrested, including Gurgaon resident Ajay Gupta, Delhi-based Rajiv Modak and Priyanshu Thakur, and UP natives Rajveer Singhania, Vivek Singh, and Bharat Kohli. Preliminary investigations suggest the fire broke out around 11.45 pm on Dec 6, when over 150 tourists were attending an event, after electric firecrackers struck the wooden ceiling of the club.