Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers likely to be deported from Thailand next week

New Delhi: Delhi-based brothers Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Goa nightclub gutted in a deadly fire earlier this month, are expected to be deported from Thailand as Indian authorities intensify efforts to bring them back to face trial. The Indian embassy in Bangkok is in constant contact with Thai officials after the brothers were detained in Phuket following diplomatic intervention.

Goa Police officials said coordination with central agencies is ongoing and they anticipate taking custody of the accused by early next week. “Deportation procedures of Luthra brothers are currently under process and Goa Police is in continuous coordination with the central agencies,” the state police said in a statement on Friday.

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The brothers allegedly fled India on the intervening night of December 6 and 7, shortly after a fire broke out at their nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane, located in north Goa’s Arpora area. The blaze killed at least 25 people and injured several others. Investigators say the Luthras travelled from Delhi to Phuket anticipating arrest as scrutiny around the incident intensified.

After being detained by Thai authorities in Phuket on Thursday, the brothers were shifted to Bangkok, officials familiar with the matter said. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant earlier stated that a combined team from Goa Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) would bring them back “as soon as possible”.

Initial reports had suggested a cooking gas cylinder explosion triggered the fire. However, investigators are now examining the role of firecrackers and pyrotechnic devices used during an event at the club. Authorities have also flagged extensive violations of fire safety norms, including the heavy use of flammable decor materials.

Gaurav (44) and Saurabh (40) have been booked on charges of “injury causing death, manslaughter and murder” for allegedly organising a fire show “without taking proper care”.

According to investigators, electrically detonated pyroguns used during a belly dancing performance are believed to have ignited the blaze. The fire spread rapidly due to multiple risk factors such as limited exits, a thatched roof structure, stacks of alcohol, and the confined 300-square metre layout of the club.

Meanwhile, the brothers’ attempt to secure a four-week transit anticipatory bail from a Delhi court failed. Their lawyers argued they would face “irremediable and irreversible prejudice” if arrested and even claimed they could be “lynched in Goa”. The court rejected the plea, citing the “grave and serious nature of the offence” and noting that the accused had concealed details about booking their Phuket tickets after the fire began.

Instead of pursuing extradition, the Indian government opted for deportation by suspending the brothers’ passports through the Ministry of External Affairs. This rendered them undocumented under Thai immigration laws, enabling Thai authorities to remove them swiftly. While India and Thailand share an extradition treaty, officials said deportation is significantly faster than extradition, which involves prolonged legal proceedings and proof of “double criminality”.