Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: The passport of Saurav and Gaurav Luthra has been suspended. Both of them fled to Thailand after their nightclub caught fire on Saturday night. It killed 25 people. Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant promised action against Luthra brothers. The CM said that the owners of the 'Birch' by Romeo Lane pub at Arpora, would be caught at all cost, no matter where they hide.
The nightclub is co-owned by Saurav and Gaurav Luthra, who are brothers. Both of them are currently hiding in Thailand's Phuket. They reportedly fled the country, just hours after the fire. Reports said that they were booking tickets, even as their nightclub burnt and emergency services were trying to control the fire.
They left India on December 6. Both of them are currently in Thailand and have sought pre-arrest bail from there. The court however has denied their appeal.
NDTV quoted Goa CM Sawant as saying, "Whether it is Thailand or anywhere else, we will pick them up from there and put them behind bars."
The brothers have been charged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. They have been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. Investigations have also revealed that their nightclub 'Birch' and other properties owned by them had violated multiple rules and bypassed safety norms.
The nightclub caught fire, during a live dance performance. Initial reports suggested that a cylinder blast led to the inferno, but some eyewitnesses claimed that the fire was caused after fireworks were set off during the show. It was also revealed that the narrow passages of the club made it difficult for firefighters to reach the people trapped inside. The place did not have safety clearance from the fire department, said investigators.
In a major breakthrough for investigators, the passports of Saurav and Gaurav Luthra has been suspended, reported India Today. The Goa Police confirmed the suspension and said that this would prevent the duo from proceeding further from Thailand, to a third country and hiding there.
The Police had already requested the Interpol to get a Blue Corner notice issued against them, so that they can be brought back to India. Interpol had accepted the request and the notice was issued. Now after the suspension of their passports, it seems that it would be a bit easier for India to get them deported from Thailand.
The Luthras insisted that the trip to Thailand was pre-planned. They claimed that they were visiting the country to scout for potential hotel and club sites. They have applied for pre-arrest bail, saying that they fear that they would be immediately arrested upon landing in India.
The lawyers of the 2 brothers, Sidharth Luthra and Tanvir Ahmed Mir, told the court, "I am saying I want to come back to India; they want to arrest me." The lawyers said that their clients feared "witch hunting" by the Indian authorities. They also cited demolition of their second property in Goa as a prime example of “vindictive nature” of the action against them.
The plea was filed in a Rohini Court which is set to resume the hearing on Thursday. So far however the court has not granted any relief to them.
