Delhi-based entrepreneur brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, once celebrated as rising stars in India’s hospitality industry, are now the focus of an international manhunt. Their club in Goa, ‘Birch’—part of a sprawling network of pubs, restaurants, and nightclubs under their Romeo Lane brand—was engulfed in flames last Saturday night, killing 25 people. In the aftermath, investigations have uncovered multiple alleged irregularities across their empire, casting a shadow over their meteoric rise.

The brothers are currently believed to be in Thailand, evading Indian authorities. Police from Delhi and Goa, in coordination with central agencies, have issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against the siblings and are working with Interpol, seeking ‘blue notices’ to prevent them from leaving Thailand for another country. Two of their co-owners, Ajay Gupta and Surinder Kumar Khosla, the latter a British national, are also under scrutiny.

Escape Before Enforcement

According to sources, the fire at Birch nightclub was first reported to Goa Police at 12:04 am on Sunday, when the venue was packed with Saturday-night revelers. Within six hours—by 5:30 am—the Luthra brothers had boarded an IndiGo flight (6E 1073) and landed in Phuket, Thailand, at 11 am. Despite widespread domestic flight cancellations caused by new pilot rest norms, the brothers’ international escape was unhindered. They left before immigration authorities and local police could issue notices or visit their Delhi residences.

From First Generation Restaurateurs to Hospitality Tycoons

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra are first-generation entrepreneurs. Saurabh, the more publicly visible of the two, holds a BTech in software engineering from a university in Gujarat and worked for a decade in business development before venturing into hospitality.

Their initial foray into restaurants began in 2015, with Saurabh opening Mama’s Buoi, a café in North Delhi’s Hudson Lane, followed by another small venture called Dramebaaz. Their breakout success came in 2019 with the launch of the flagship nightclub Romeo Lane in Delhi’s Civil Lines. From there, the brand rapidly expanded into a nationwide chain operating in at least 37 cities, including Gurugram, Hyderabad, Noida, and Lucknow. Internationally, the brothers have outlets in Dubai and London and had plans for a New York outlet.

The establishments are reportedly jointly managed by the brothers and various franchise investors. Saurabh has maintained an online presence, posting a message of grief on Instagram shortly after the fire, stating that the management was “deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives.”

Legal and Safety Irregularities

Before the Goa fire, the Luthras’ clubs had already attracted scrutiny. The Birch club in Arpora reportedly operated without the required permissions, although demolition orders had been stayed on appeal. Authorities have also highlighted the absence of proper fire-safety arrangements at the site. Early reports suggested the fire originated from a cooking-gas cylinder blast, but subsequent theories point to indoor firecracker use in a thatched roof area. The club’s two lower floors were permanent structures, but the rooftop was built using highly combustible bamboo and thatch.

Other establishments in Goa, including a club at Vagator Beach, faced repeated issues, including Coastal Regulation Zone (CRZ) violations and noise pollution. Local sources confirmed that the Vagator club had been demolished and rebuilt multiple times to coincide with tourist seasons. Investigations have revealed additional concerns, such as a dancer from Kazakhstan allegedly working without proper documentation.

Ongoing Investigations and Manhunt

In the wake of the tragedy, authorities are leaving no stone unturned. The CBI has requested blue notices via Interpol to prevent the brothers from fleeing Thailand to another jurisdiction. Simultaneously, Goa police are working to secure a deportation order, which would expedite their return, bypassing the longer extradition process.

Five individuals associated with the Luthras, including Bharat Kohli, who oversaw several of their restaurant operations, have already been arrested. The Goa government has mobilized officials to assist in the ongoing probe. A four-member panel has been tasked with investigating the fire, including its causes and the chain of negligence or violations that may have contributed to the loss of life.

As the manhunt intensifies, questions loom over the operational and regulatory compliance of the Romeo Lane empire. Authorities aim to uncover whether the tragic incident could have been prevented and hold accountable those responsible for what has become one of the deadliest nightclub fires in recent Indian history.