A Mapusa court on Wednesday remanded the Luthra brothers, owners of the ill-fated nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane, in five days of police custody. This follows a tragic fire at their Arpora-based establishment on December 6 that claimed 25 lives. The brothers were brought to Goa from Delhi earlier in the day after their arrest upon arrival from Thailand.
Police Custody Battle and Key Arguments
The Goa police had strongly advocated for a 10-day custodial interrogation for Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra. They presented multiple arguments before Judicial Magistrate First Class Puja Sardesai. The prosecution, led by Assistant Public Prosecutor Tejas Pawar, emphasized that custody was essential to prevent the accused and their associates from fleeing the country.
The police remand application stated that custodial interrogation was crucial to uncover their financial transactions, identify all associates involved, and stop them from continuing illegal operations elsewhere. It was argued that the brothers, being owners and partners with a chain of hotels and restaurants, had ultimate control over safety and events at the premises.
"They, along with other accused, knowingly permitted and organised fireworks inside the restaurant/club without adopting any security measures despite being fully aware that such activity posed serious fire hazards and was likely to cause loss of life," the police told the court. They also sought custody to deter the accused from destroying valuable evidence related to the case.
Defense Plea and Medical Demand Rejected
The defense lawyer for the Luthra brothers, P V Pavithran, contested the need for police custody. He assured the court that his clients were ready to cooperate fully with the investigation. The lawyer also made a specific request for mattresses in police custody, citing medical conditions. He stated that Saurabh had a spinal disc problem and Gaurav suffered from a tailbone fracture.
This request was firmly opposed by the prosecution. Tejas Pawar pointedly questioned, "If they have medical issues, what made them book a ticket and fly to Thailand?" The court then directed the police to take the brothers for a medical examination at a government hospital.
Following examinations at the North Goa District Hospital, where doctors declared them fit, the judicial magistrate rejected the defense's demand for special bedding arrangements. Earlier, doctors at the Siolim Primary Health Centre had refused to grant a 'fit for lockup' certificate, leading to their referral to the district hospital.
The Long Journey to Custody
The path to this remand was marked by a 10-day international chase. The Luthra brothers had fled India on an IndiGo flight on December 7, just hours after the devastating blaze. They were located staying at the Indigo hotel in Phuket, Thailand.
Their return to India concluded what was described as a "cat and mouse game" with Indian law enforcement. Their aircraft landed at Delhi airport at 1:45 pm on Tuesday. A team of Goa police arrested them at immigration. A Delhi court granted a two-day transit remand, following which they were flown to Goa on Wednesday morning.
Upon arrival in Goa, they were first taken to the Anjuna police station. An FIR was registered against them for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. They were then produced before the Mapusa court in the afternoon, leading to the five-day custody order.
