Panaji, Dec 11, 2025: Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday confirmed that a joint team of Goa Police and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will depart for Thailand in a few days to secure the custody of fugitive Luthra brothers, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra. The brothers, co-owners of the north Goa nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane, are accused of regulatory violations in connection with the devastating fire at the club on December 7, which claimed 25 lives.

Speaking to reporters, Sawant said, “With the help of the Government of India, central agencies under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), we were able to detain them this morning. In a few days, the Goa Police and CBI will go there and bring them to Goa. They will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law.”

The chief minister added that the detention was a result of fast-tracked coordination between central and state agencies, underscoring the government’s determination to ensure justice for the victims of the tragedy.

Flight to Phuket

According to Goa Police, the brothers had booked tickets to Phuket, Thailand, at 1:17 AM on December 7, roughly 90 minutes after the fire broke out at their nightclub. Nilesh Rane, the police public relations officer, noted that while authorities were battling the blaze and rescuing those trapped, the Luthras were allegedly preparing to flee the country.

The brothers were detained by Thai authorities following an official request from India. News of their detention came a day after Goa Police approached the MEA to revoke their passports.

Ajay Gupta in Custody

Meanwhile, co-owner Ajay Gupta, listed as a partner in Being GS Hospitality Goa Arpora LLP, was produced before a local court in Goa and remanded in police custody for seven days. Gupta, who was in Goa at the time of the incident but flew to Delhi the next day, maintained that he was a “sleeping partner” with no operational role in the nightclub. His lawyer, Adv Rohan Dessai, said Gupta was cooperating fully with the investigation.

Crackdown on Officials and Establishments

The state government is also scrutinising local authorities who played a role in the licensing of the nightclub. Panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar, who has not appeared for questioning, and sarpanch Roshan Redkar, who issued the trade licence in 2023, have both filed for anticipatory bail.

In a broader crackdown, Goa authorities have begun inspections of high-footfall establishments, including nightclubs and restaurants. Enforcement teams consisting of senior officers, fire safety inspectors, building safety officers, and electricity engineers have been deployed to identify violations. Based on these reports, non-compliant establishments are being ordered to shut down, with three clubs, including one in Vagator, already closed.

Full Commitment to Justice

Sawant emphasized that the state government is determined to hold all responsible parties accountable, including club owners and local officials who failed to enforce safety regulations. “Enforcement teams are already on the ground. Clubs that report major violations — their reports will be submitted in a few days. On that basis, we will close down their clubs,” he said.

The Luthra brothers’ extradition and prosecution are now central to Goa’s efforts to ensure accountability in one of the deadliest nightclub fires in recent history, while state authorities continue to strengthen safety oversight across hospitality and entertainment venues.