Goa Nightclub Tragedy: Luthra Brothers Held in Thailand After Interpol Notice
The owners fled India after the December 6 fire that killed 25 people; reports say they have now been detained in Thailand as Goa Police intensify the probe.
A major development has emerged in the infamous Birch Nightclub fire case in Goa. According to media reports, the club owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, have been detained in Thailand. While there has been no official confirmation from Indian agencies yet, this action is considered highly significant, especially after Interpol issued a notice against them.
On December 6, a devastating fire at the Birch Nightclub tragically claimed the lives of 25 people. Immediately after the incident, the two brothers fled India and went to Thailand. Goa Police registered a case against them for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and gross negligence. Following this, Interpol also issued a Blue Corner Notice against the Luthra brothers to track their location and movements.
Meanwhile, Goa Police further complicated their situation by suspending their passports. According to the Ministry of External Affairs, under Section 10A of the Passports Act, 1967, the government can suspend the passport of any person with immediate effect. Since the Luthra brothers had already left the country, this step was taken to prevent them from fleeing to another country from Thailand.
After going into hiding, the Luthra brothers filed a petition for anticipatory bail in an Indian court. On Wednesday, the court refused to grant them interim relief and scheduled the hearing for Thursday. Their lawyers, Senior Advocate Siddharth Luthra and Tanveer Ahmed Mir, told the court, “We want to return, but we fear being arrested… This is a witch-hunt against us.”