Luthra brothers, the Goa nightclub’s co-owners are in the process of being deported to India from Thailand after the deadly fire at Birch By Romeo Lane claimed 25 lives. As soon as brothers Saurav and Gaurav Luthra were informed about the incident on December 7, they hastily arranged to travel to Thailand in a bid to escape authorities.
On Thursday, officials announced that the brothers had been detained in Phuket, Thailand after a Delhi court denied their requests for anticipatory transit bail.
The court pointed to the seriousness of the charges and the brothers' actions, with the Goa government's lawyer stating, “They left, they concealed, and they are now seeking leniency.” The lawyer emphasised that the brothers had fled the scene immediately after the fire and were evading legal accountability.
Luthra Brothers Deportation Process
The deportation process of the Delhi-based restaurateurs is being carried out with the help of the Indian foreign ministry, the Indian Embassy in Thailand, and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), in coordination with the Royal Thai Police and the Thai government.
According to an NDTV report, the Luthra brothers have been taken to Bangkok by Thai officials and kept at the Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Centre. The report added that the brothers will remain at this Centre till deportation formalities are completed. Their custody will be soon taken by a law enforcement team from India.
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The Indian embassy will issue an emergency travel certificate to bring the Luthra brothers back to India as their passports were cancelled earlier. After issuance of the certificate, the brothers will be sent to India on a flight. As per NDTV, they are likely to arrive by Monday.
On arrival in India, the Luthra brothers will face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence in connection with the fire incident.