Goa nightclub fire: Thailand Police detains Saurabh, Gaurav Luthra in Phuket on India's request

Hours after their passports were revoked, the Thai police have detained Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, in Phuket on the request of India. A Goa Police team will be travelling to Thailand to take the brothers' custody and bring them back to India for trial, India Today reported, citing sources. 

The Luthra brothers had fled to Phuket in Thailand after the fire claimed the lives of 25 people, including 20 staff members and 5 tourists, around midnight on December 6. The duo fled to Phuket on an IndiGo flight hours after the fire, and India later issued a Look-Out Circular against the brothers.

As per officials, the brothers booked their tickets for Phuket through a travel portal at 01:17 am on December 7, within an hour of learning about the incident. The Luthra brothers left India in the early hours of Sunday as police and administration were still battling the blaze and attempting to rescue the staff. 

Previously, one of the co-owners of the nightclub, Ajay Gupta, was brought back to Goa from Delhi on a transit remand for questioning. Gupta had claimed to be a silent partner and investor in the fire-ravaged nightclub. 

Goa Police landed with Gupta at the Manohar International Airport in Mopa at 09:45 pm on Wednesday. He was taken to the Anjuna Police station for further investigation, an official told news agency PTI. 

Before being taken to Goa, he was produced before a magistrate's court in Delhi, which granted the Goa Police a 36-hour transit remand.

The court cited the ongoing IndiGo flights chaos while giving the extended remand window, and directed authorities to ensure proper medical care for Gupta, who suffers from a spinal injury, during his transfer. Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the incident.