The owners of the Goa nightclub where a devastating fire killed 25 people are likely to be returned to India next week, as authorities in India and Thailand work through lengthy legal and bureaucratic procedures, officials have told the media.
Brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who own Club Birch by Romeo Lane, were detained in Phuket after fleeing India shortly after the deadly blaze. Investigators say the pair booked tickets to Thailand less than two hours after the fire broke out around midnight and flew out early Sunday morning. They have remained in Phuket for the past four days.
According to official sources, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok has been coordinating closely with Thai authorities following the brothers’ detention. Thai officials are proceeding under local laws and have initiated steps to deport the two men back to India.
As part of the process, the Luthras are expected to be transferred from Phuket to Bangkok’s Immigration Division Centre. Authorities will issue Emergency Travel Certificates to facilitate their return once all paperwork is completed. Officials said the legal formalities could take three to four days, with weekend delays slowing the process.
A senior police officer confirmed that both brothers are currently in Thai police custody, staying under supervision before being moved to Bangkok to complete deportation procedures.
Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, speaking on Thursday, credited swift coordination between state police and central agencies for the arrests. He thanked the Goa Police, the Central Bureau of Investigation, and the Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs, saying their joint efforts led to the detention of the two nightclub owners in Thailand within four days of the incident.
The fatal fire has sparked widespread outrage and intensified scrutiny of safety practices at nightlife venues across the state, as investigators continue to piece together the circumstances that led to one of Goa’s deadliest club tragedies.
