A Delhi court has denied interim relief to Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of Goa's Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where a devastating fire claimed the lives of at least 25 people. The incident occurred on the night of December 6, 2025, at the nightclub located in Arpora, North Goa.
The Luthra brothers, who are facing a criminal case in connection with the fire, had sought transit anticipatory bail from the Rohini Court in Delhi. Their plea was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Vandana, who has requested a response from the Goa government before the next hearing, scheduled for tomorrow, December 11, 2025. The brothers are seeking four weeks of transit anticipatory bail to avoid immediate arrest upon their return to Delhi from Thailand, where they are currently located. They have also requested interim protection from arrest.
Represented by senior advocates Sidharth Luthra and Tanvir Ahmed Mir, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra have argued that they require protection to return to India and approach the courts in Goa for further relief, fearing arrest upon arrival in Delhi. They contend that culpability for the incident cannot be attributed to them, as local managers of the club have already been arrested. They further claim that they are merely licensees and not the actual owners of the nightclub. The Luthra brothers' legal team has characterized the situation as a "witch-hunt". One of the lawyers stated that authorities are unfairly targeting them and the "fourth estate are baying for my blood".
Following the fire, the Luthra brothers left for Phuket, Thailand, on an IndiGo flight at 5:30 am on December 7, 2025, just hours after the incident. The Goa Police had issued a lookout notice against them with the Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai on Sunday evening. Authorities are currently in contact with Thai officials to locate the brothers and potentially deport them to India based on an arrest warrant. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has also been issued against them.
Meanwhile, Ajay Gupta, one of the four owners of Birch by Romeo Lane, was detained in Delhi and has been granted a 36-hour transit remand to Goa Police. He will be formally arrested upon arrival in Goa. A Look Out Circular (LOC) had been issued against Gupta after the Goa police could not locate him at his Delhi residence. Another owner, Surinder Kumar Khosla, a British citizen, is also subject to an LOC.
To date, five individuals have been arrested in connection with the fire: Rajiv Modak (chief general manager), Vivek Singh (general manager), Rajiv Singhania (bar manager), Riyanshu Thakur (gate manager), and Bharat Kohli (employee).
During the proceedings, the judge questioned the maintainability of the plea, given that the accused were not within the court's jurisdiction. The counsel for the Goa Police opposed any interim protection, stating that non-bailable warrants (NBWs) have been issued against the Luthra brothers, and that they fled after the incident.
