Interpol alerts, immigration tracking and a multi-agency manhunt led to the capture of Luthra brothers in Phuket; Goa Police are now preparing for their deportation under the India–Thailand treaty.
BY PC Bureau
December 12, 2025: In a major breakthrough in the probe into one of Goa’s deadliest nightclub tragedies, Delhi-based brothers Saurabh Luthra (40) and Gaurav Luthra (44)—prime suspects and co-owners of the ill-fated Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub—have been detained by Thai authorities in Phuket. Sources close to the investigation confirmed the development early Thursday, adding that deportation proceedings are underway and the duo could be flown back to India as early as this evening.
The brothers, accused of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and criminal conspiracy, fled India just hours after the catastrophic December 6 blaze that claimed 25 lives, including four tourists and 21 staff members.
The fire erupted around midnight at the popular Arpora nightclub during a packed Bollywood DJ night. Investigators say the inferno began after electronic fireworks (pyro guns) were discharged during a performance on the first floor, igniting the thatched roof and spreading rapidly to the basement through narrow staircases lacking proper emergency exits. Trapped patrons and young employees—many from Delhi and other states—had no escape route, resulting in a deadly stampede and suffocation amid thick smoke. Among the victims were two brothers from Delhi who were to marry next year, and four members of a vacationing family, turning a night of revelry into a scene of unspeakable loss.
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Eyewitness accounts and initial findings point to staggering negligence. The club was operating without valid fire safety clearances, its trade licence had expired in March 2024, and the structure itself stood illegally on state-owned salt pan land. A 2023 complaint had triggered inspections and a demolition order in February 2024, but co-owner Surinder Kumar Khosla—a British national—secured a stay, allowing operations to continue. Local officials, including suspended fire and panchayat officers, are now under scrutiny for issuing NOCs despite blatant violations of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act.
The Luthras’ swift escape has fuelled public outrage. Flight records show they reached Delhi’s IGI Airport at 3 AM on December 7—barely hours after the 12:04 AM fire alert—and took an IndiGo flight (6E-1073) to Phuket at 5:30 AM. Investigators say they booked their tickets through MakeMyTrip at 1:17 AM, while emergency crews were still battling the blaze and rescuing survivors. Goa Police, alerted by immigration systems, issued Look Out Circulars and coordinated with Interpol, which promptly issued Blue Corner Notices. The brothers checked into a Phuket resort but vanished before local police arrived, triggering a high-level manhunt involving the CBI and Thai authorities.
Meanwhile, co-owner Ajay Gupta was detained in Delhi on December 9 after briefly going underground. He has been medically examined and is being brought to Goa for arrest and questioning. Five staffers—chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and employee Bharat Kohli—are in six-day police custody. Khosla also remains under an LOC, and his whereabouts are unknown.
The Luthras, who built a hospitality empire of cafes, clubs and beach shacks, now face deeper scrutiny. Investigators found they operated 42 shell companies registered at a single Rohini address, many of which were struck off in the past two years. Their Vagator beach shack, Romeo Lane Goa, was partly demolished this week for encroaching on government land, while their lavish Goa home lies deserted. Luxury cars once owned by the family have also disappeared, with police probing whether they were offloaded before the escape. Raids at their Delhi residence yielded little besides pasted legal notices.
Despite their flight, the brothers attempted damage control. Saurabh posted a sombre Instagram message on December 7 expressing grief over the tragedy, while Gaurav has remained silent. From Thailand, they petitioned Delhi’s Rohini Court for transit anticipatory bail, claiming their trip was “pre-planned business” and denying any ownership stake in the nightclub—claims investigators have dismissed. On December 10, Additional Sessions Judge Vandana denied interim relief and posted their plea for further hearing at noon today (December 11) after seeking Goa Police’s response. The brothers are seeking four weeks’ protection from arrest.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has vowed full accountability “from bottom to top,” while Tourism Minister Rohan Khaunte has called for stricter safety norms across the state’s nightlife sector. A Goa Police team is already en route to Thailand to escort the Luthras back, leveraging the 2013 India–Thailand extradition treaty, which favours swift deportation of non-nationals like the duo. DIG Varsha Sharma described the Interpol coordination as “unusually swift,” crediting strong central support.
As grieving families demand justice and adequate compensation, the Arpora fire has become a searing symbol of regulatory failure in India’s party capitals. Public anger on social media continues to swell, with growing calls for the seizure of the Luthras’ assets and assurances that “money power” will not shield the accused. With deportation imminent, their return could unlock deeper revelations in a saga marked by greed, negligence and attempted escape.
