In a significant breakthrough, the two brothers accused of fleeing India after a catastrophic fire at their Goa nightclub, which claimed 25 lives, have been brought back to face justice. Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra were deported from Thailand and taken into custody by the Goa Police upon their arrival at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in Delhi on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
The Arrest and Immediate Aftermath
The dramatic apprehension occurred in the afternoon, shortly after the Luthra brothers landed in the national capital. The Goa Police, who were waiting for them, immediately took them into custody. Authorities successfully obtained a transit remand from a Delhi court, paving the way for the duo's transfer to Goa. They are scheduled to be flown to Goa on Wednesday morning to face formal legal proceedings.
This development comes nine days after the brothers allegedly absconded to Thailand within hours of the devastating fire at their nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, North Goa, on the night of December 6.
The International Manhunt and Escape Timeline
Investigators have pieced together a detailed timeline of the accused's escape. According to police sources, the Luthra brothers were attending a wedding in Delhi when they were informed by a club staff member about the blaze, which reportedly started around midnight. Acting swiftly, they booked flight tickets at 1:17 am on December 7—within 90 minutes of the fire outbreak—and boarded a 5:30 am flight from Delhi to Phuket, Thailand.
The fire department's technical report states that its control room received information about the fire at 11:45 pm on December 6. The brothers' hasty exit triggered a massive international manhunt. Indian authorities moved quickly, with the Bureau of Immigration issuing a Lookout Circular (LOC) against them at the request of the Goa Police. Subsequently, a Blue Corner Notice was issued through Interpol, and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) impounded their passports.
Deportation from Thailand and Legal Facilitation
The net finally closed on the Luthra brothers last week when they were detained from a hotel in Patong, Thailand, based on a formal request from Indian law enforcement agencies. Following their detention, the deportation process was expedited. They were first shifted to an immigration detention facility in Bangkok before being put on a flight to India.
Since their passports had been revoked, the Indian Embassy in Bangkok issued an Emergency Certificate to facilitate their one-way travel back to India. This document served as a temporary travel permit, allowing Thai authorities to formally deport them to Indian custody.
The case has drawn intense national attention due to the high death toll and the accused's attempt to evade justice by fleeing the country. The arrest marks a crucial step in the investigation into the fire, with authorities expected to question the brothers extensively upon their arrival in Goa regarding the circumstances that led to the tragedy.
