Panaji: A day after being deported from Thailand, a Goa Court on Wednesday sent the Luthra brothers to five-day police custody. The brothers, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, were the owners of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, where 25 people died in a fire recently. The brothers fled Thailand after the incident.

Earlier on Wednesday, the brothers were presented before the Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court. Before appearing before the judge, both brothers underwent medical examinations.

Luthra brothers deported from Thailand on Tuesday

They were brought from Thailand on Tuesday. Soon after their landing at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport, they were taken into custody and presented before Delhi’s Patiala House Court, which then handed them over to Mumbai Police.

During the hearing, the brothers also requested the court to be granted a ‘good mattress’ due to their ‘ ill health’. The court, however, rejected their request and said that doctors were consulted regarding the same, who said there was no need for the same.

‘Further proceedings after end of the remand period’

Later, while speaking to reporters, advocate Vishnu Joshi, who was representing a victim’s family, said as per ANI, "Yesterday, they were brought from Thailand to Delhi, and after arriving in Delhi, they were formally arrested by the Goa Police at the airport. After the arrest, they were brought to Goa this morning on Delhi transit remand. Following that, they were presented in the concerned court, and further 5 days of remand were granted. Any further proceedings will take place after the end of their remand period, when they will be produced in the court on December 22."

He added, "They have some issues for which they were demanding mattresses, which the state has opposed. We strongly opposed it, stating that no relaxation should be given to them in any form. When they pressed this issue repeatedly, the court ordered a re-examination. It was cleared that there are no issues. Considering this, the court did not give any kind of relaxation and remanded them for 5-day police custody."

Luthra brothers likely to be confronted with other accused

A police official familiar with the probe said that the brothers are likely to be taken to the spot of the incident on Thursday as part of the exercise to connect together the pieces that might have led to the accident that led to the fire that killed 25 people, including 20 staff members. The brothers might also be confronted with others who have been arrested in the case.