‘Why Did You Run Away To Thailand?’ News18 Confronts Luthra Brothers In Patiala Court

Last Updated:December 16, 2025, 19:35 IST

Goa nightclub fire: Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of Birch by Romeo Lane, were deported from Thailand on Tuesday

First visuals show the Luthra brothers landing in India following their deportation from Thailand.

As Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa, where a massive fire on December 6 killed 25 people, were deported to India from Thailand, CNN-News18 confronted them.

The brothers arrived in the Indian capital in an Indigo flight and were immediately handed over to authorities for further legal proceedings.

Gaurav, 44, and Saurabh, 40, were produced before a Delhi court where the Goa police will seek their transit remand.

“Why did you run away to Thailand," they were asked while being produced in Delhi court.

Gaurav Luthra responded with folded hands.

The Luthras were also questioned at the airport, the formalities taking several hours.

Several reporters and camerapersons were travelling on the flight. As the plane landed in Delhi, a TV reporter attempted to record the Luthra brothers inside the aircraft, prompting accompanying officials to tighten security around the two men and prevent them from talking to anybody.

The Luthra brothers are facing a case of culpable homicide and negligence following the December 6 tragedy, which investigators allege was compounded by the nightclub operating in violation of mandatory fire safety norms. The incident raised serious questions over alleged fire safety violations and lapses by the management.

Gaurav and Saurabh fled to Phuket in the early hours of December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.

The duo was detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.

On December 11, a Delhi court rejected the transit anticipatory bail pleas. Additional Sessions Judge Vandana termed the allegations against the brothers “prima facie grave and serious" and severely criticised their “conduct". The court took note of the police investigation that the brothers had booked tickets to Phuket one hour after the fire, a fact their counsel had initially “concealed" while seeking protection from immediate arrest.

The judge said that leaving immediately after the tragedy was a clear attempt to “evade the legal process".

Observing that “someone has to be held accountable" for the tragedy, the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against the nightclub into a public interest litigation (PIL).

With PTI inputs

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