In a significant development in the tragic Goa nightclub fire case, the accused owners attempted to secure special comforts during their police remand, citing health concerns. Advocate Vishnu Joshi, representing a victim's family, disclosed on Wednesday that one of the Luthra brothers requested a Dunlop mattress while in custody.
Court Scrutinizes Health Claims Before Custody Order
Advocate Joshi informed reporters that when the Goa Police presented the brothers before the Mapusa Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court, one of the accused argued he suffered from spinal and other health problems. He specifically pleaded for a Dunlop mattress to be provided during their police remand period. The state prosecution strongly opposed this request.
Joshi elaborated that the court meticulously evaluated these claims before making a decision. "The court considered all submissions and directed the police to first conduct a pre-medical examination and a re-examination," he stated. The results were clear: no medical necessity was found. Subsequently, the court used its full authority to grant the police a five-day remand for interrogation.
A Pattern of Evasion Since Fleeing India
The advocate highlighted a consistent pattern of evasion by the accused since the disaster unfolded. The Luthra brothers, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, fled India for Thailand on December 7, mere hours after the fire and while rescue operations were still ongoing.
"Since these people absconded and fled the country, they have been employing tactics to somehow escape," Joshi alleged. He detailed their initial attempt to file an anticipatory bail application in the Rohini Court in Delhi, which lacked jurisdiction, leading to its rejection. "Since then, they have been trying wherever they get a chance to obtain some kind of relaxation," he added.
The Long Road to Custody and Ongoing Investigation
The brothers' journey back to face justice was protracted. After a nationwide and international manhunt involving an Interpol Blue Notice, they were detained by Thai authorities for illegal stay. Following the suspension of their passports, they were deported to India on emergency travel documents.
They landed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport on Tuesday, where Goa Police arrested them and secured a 48-hour transit remand from a Delhi court. On Wednesday morning, under police escort, they landed at Goa's Manohar International Airport in Mopa around 10:45 am. They were then taken for medical checks at a primary health centre in Siolim and the District Hospital in Mapusa as per court directives before being produced for the remand hearing.
The devastating blaze had erupted on December 6 around 11:45 pm during a packed event at the nightclub. Preliminary reports suggest electric firecrackers hit the wooden ceiling, triggering the fire that claimed 25 lives, including tourists and staff, and left many injured.
The police have booked the brothers under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence. The investigation is also probing allegations that the venue was operating with expired licences and without mandatory safety clearances. Several other individuals connected to the nightclub's operations have also been arrested.
