Goa Nightclub Owner Saurabh, Gaurav Luthra Fled To Phuket Couple Of Hours After Fire To Avoid Probe, Say Police

The Goa Police on Monday said that Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, the owner of Romeo Lane restaurant and bar chain, had fled to Phuket early Saturday morning, soon after the deadly fire incident on early Sunday hours, which claimed 25 lives.

The police said that the police team went to Delhi to raid their houses after the FIR was registered, but they had absconded. "Soon after the FIR was registered, the police sent a team to Delhi to conduct a raid at the addresses of the accused, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra. Since they were unavailable, a notice was pasted at their house," said the Goa Police.

The Goa Police stated that by the evening, a Look Out Circular was issued against them but they had already taken a flight to Phuket at 5:30 am on December 7.

"By the evening of 7th December, a LOC (Look Out Circular) was issued against them. Further, the Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted, and it was found that both the accused had taken the flight to Phuket at 5.30 am on 7th December, i.e., immediately after the incident, which had taken place around midnight. It shows their intent to avoid police investigation," the police added.

The Goa Police said that they have contacted the Interpol division of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to nab both the accused.

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The police statement read, "Goa police have taken further steps to coordinate with the Interpol Division of the CBI to apprehend them at the earliest. Goa police apprehended Bharat Kohli from Delhi and obtained his transit remand to bring him to Goa for further questioning. Post-mortem of all the deceased has been conducted, and bodies have been handed over to their families."

They took a flight, IndiGo 6E 1073, from Delhi to Phuket at 5.30 am on December 7, Sunday, as per Goa Police's statement.

On Monday, Saurabh Luthra reacted to the tragic incident and said, "The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch." Offering assistance, he said that the firm will extend support to families of victims in "every possible form."

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The fire erupted at the Birch nightclub of Romeo Lane in Arpora, a coastal village in north Goa. CM Pramod Sawant pn Sunday said that the fire erupted after an electric firecracker was burst inside the club. He had ordered a four-member magisterial probe into the incident and said that a probe is on to find the cause and fix responsibility.