Birch Nightclub Fire: Delhi Court Grants Two-Day Transit Remand of Luthra Brothers After Thailand Deportation
Luthra brothers were produced before Judicial Magistrate Twinkle Chawla at the Patiala House Courts after being arrested by the Goa Police upon their deportation from Thailand
Delhi Court allowed a two-day transit remand of the co-owners of the Goa nightclub where 25 people were killed in a deadly fire, following their deportation from Thailand
A Delhi Court on Tuesday granted the Goa Police a two-day transit remand of Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the North Goa nightclub where 25 people died in a devastating fire on December 6.
The accused were produced before Judicial Magistrate Twinkle Chawla at the Patiala House Courts after being arrested by the Goa Police upon their deportation from Thailand.
The investigating officer sought a three-day transit remand, informing the Court that the accused would be taken to Goa by the earliest available flight to continue the investigation.
Allowing the plea in part, the Magistrate granted a two-day transit remand.
The Luthra brothers were brought to court in separate police vehicles amid tight security arrangements and were earlier subjected to mandatory medical examination at Safdarjung Hospital.
The arrests follow their detention by Thai authorities in Phuket on December 11, after an Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued against them. The Indian mission in Thailand had coordinated closely with local authorities, leading to their deportation to India and handover to Indian law enforcement agencies upon arrival.
The Luthra brothers are co-owners of “Birch by Romeo Lane”, a nightclub located in Arpora, North Goa, which was gutted by a massive fire earlier this month.
Investigators allege that the brothers left India for Phuket shortly after the incident, prompting concerns that they were attempting to evade the probe. Videos circulating on social media showed them at Bangkok airport ahead of their return to India.
The Goa Police have already arrested five managers and staff members of the nightclub in connection with the case. The investigation is focusing on alleged violations of fire safety norms, accountability of the management, and the chain of events that led to the fatal blaze.
Notably, on December 11, a Delhi Court had refused to grant transit anticipatory bail to Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra. The Court had held that the “nature of offence, prima facie, is grave and serious” and that the applicants’ conduct did not justify protection from arrest. It had said it was “not inclined” to extend relief given the allegations and circumstances surrounding the brothers’ departure from India.
In the Court in the evening of December 11, had reserved the order.
During the hearing, the Goa Police had strongly opposed the brothers’ plea, arguing that both Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, along with partner Ajay Gupta, were signatories of the establishment and that the Panchayat licence for the club had expired and was never renewed. The prosecution had said the brothers had shown “no cooperation”, which disentitled them to the “extraordinary protection” of anticipatory bail.
The police had further alleged that the brothers misled both the Court and authorities about their travel. While they claimed they left India on the night of December 6, immigration records showed they flew out on December 7.
Meanwhile in Goa, their partner Ajay Gupta was produced before the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Mapusa and remanded to seven days’ police custody.
Earlier, on Wednesday i.e. December 10, the accused had sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail so that they are not immediately arrested after their return to Delhi from Thailand. At the outset, Mukherji objected to the pleas, stating they were served only this morning, and sought a hearing on Friday so the prosecution could file a status report. He said the applicants were “fugitives” and argued that the pleas were not maintainable.
Goa Police have so far arrested five individuals: Chief General manager Rajiv Modak, General manager Vivek Singh, Bar manager Rajiv Singhania, Gate manager Riyanshu Thakur, and Bharat Kohli.
Bench: Judicial Magistrate Twinkle Chawla
Hearing Date: December 16, 2025