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Gaurav Luthra, center, Saurabh Luthra, right, who fled India after a fire at his Goa nightclub that claimed 25 lives. (Source: PTI Photo)
Brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of club Birch by Romeo Lane, where a fire killed 25 people in Goa, are expected to reach India only next week since the legal formalities involved are painstaking and the bureaucratic procedures tend to slow down on weekends, officials have told The Indian Express.
According to sources, “The Embassy of India in Bangkok is in close touch with Thai authorities in the case related to Mr Saurabh Luthra and Mr Gaurav Luthra.”
“The two have been detained by Thai authorities in Phuket following an intervention by the Embassy. The Thai authorities are presently taking action as per local laws, including sending the two individuals back to India,” sources said.
According to investigators, the brothers, who booked tickets for Thailand less than two hours after the midnight blaze and flew out early Sunday morning, “were in Phuket for the past four days”.
“Both were staying in a hotel and eating at nearby restaurants. It will take three-four days to bring them to India due to legal formalities. They are in the custody of the Thailand police. The duo will be shifted to Bangkok first,” said a senior police officer.
Speaking in Goa on Thursday, Chief Minister Pramod Sawant had said, “I want to thank Goa police and all Central agencies… CBI, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of External Affairs, that due to their prompt action and swift coordination, within four days, the two club owners, who had escaped to Thailand, have been detained there.”
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