Goa Nightclub Fire Case: Luthra Brothers Deported From Thailand, Set to Land in Delhi at 1.45 pm

Goa nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, wanted in connection with the deadly December 6 fire that killed 25 people, were deported from Thailand to India on Tuesday morning. The brothers were sent back on an “emergency certificate”, a one-way travel document issued by the Indian embassy after their passports were suspended.

Arrival in Delhi Under Tight Security

As reported by The Times of India, the Luthras boarded an IndiGo flight from Bangkok and were expected to land at Delhi’s IGI Airport around 1.45 pm. They were seen at the airport wearing masks and surrounded by immigration and security officials.

Transit Remand to Be Sought

After arrival, a joint team from the Delhi Crime Branch and Goa Police will take the brothers to Patiala House Court. Investigators are expected to seek their transit remand before flying them to Goa later on Tuesday. Goa Director General of Police Alok Kumar confirmed that the duo will reach the state the same day.

Fled Hours After the Fire

Investigators say the Luthra brothers fled to Thailand within hours of the fire, even as police and fire services were still battling the blaze and rescuing trapped people. A lookout notice was later issued against them, following which the Ministry of External Affairs decided to impound their passports. This left the brothers without valid travel documents in Thailand, paving the way for their detention and deportation.

Extradition Treaty in Place

India and Thailand have a formal extradition treaty, signed in 2013 and in force since June 29, 2015. However, in this case, authorities opted for deportation after the passport suspension, rather than a full extradition process.

Illegal Operations at the Nightclub

Goa Police investigations into the fire at the Birch nightclub have uncovered serious regulatory violations. Officials found that the club had been operating illegally for the past 18 months without valid permissions and on an expired licence.

A senior officer involved in the probe said the licence had not been renewed because the nightclub failed to obtain mandatory approvals since 2024. Despite these lapses, no regulatory authority took action against the establishment until the tragic fire on December 6.

Arrests Made So Far

Police have already arrested several people linked to the nightclub’s operations. Those in custody include Ajay Gupta (55), a Gurgaon-based partner of the Luthra brothers; Rajiv Modak (49), chief general manager; Priyanshu Thakur (32), gate manager; Rajveer Singhania (32), bar manager; Vivek Singh (27), general manager; and Bharat Kohli from Delhi.

What Triggered the Blaze

The fire broke out around 11.45 pm during an event attended by over 150 tourists. A preliminary probe by the police and the Directorate of Fire Services revealed that electric firecrackers struck the wooden ceiling, triggering the inferno.

As the Luthra brothers return to India, investigators are expected to intensify questioning and widen accountability in one of Goa’s deadliest nightclub tragedies.