Goa Nightclub Owners Used Former Driver's Identity for SIM Card While Evading Justice After Deadly Fire

On Wednesday, the Luthra brothers were denied interim protection from arrest by a Delhi court.

New Delhi:

Fresh details have emerged regarding Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the primary proprietors of Goa's Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where a catastrophic fire claimed 25 lives on December 6. These revelations have heightened the examination of their activities, possessions, and behavior before and after the tragic incident.

Currently in Phuket, Thailand, the brothers are subjects of a widening criminal investigation, multiple look-out notices, and an Interpol Blue Corner Notice.

Investigations revealed that the SIM card utilized by Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra was registered under Ram Hari Singh's name, a former driver previously employed by the family. When NDTV visited the address associated with the mobile phone used by the Luthra brothers, they discovered the SIM card wasn't registered to either brother.

Though Singh wasn't present at his registered address, he confirmed via telephone to NDTV that he had served as Saurabh's driver for two years until the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020. He stated his employment was terminated during lockdown and he was never recalled after restrictions eased.

Singh disclosed that he has had no contact with the Luthra family for five years and was unaware a SIM card was being used in his name. During his employment, he had provided several personal documents to Saurabh, which he now believes may have been used to obtain the SIM without his knowledge or consent.

Investigators are now scrutinizing the Luthras' assets, particularly their vehicles and properties. Until 2020, Saurabh and Gaurav reportedly owned three vehicles. According to sources, their collection expanded to more than four luxury vehicles in subsequent years.

However, following the brothers' departure from India on December 7, investigators found none of these vehicles in their possession. Authorities are investigating whether these cars were quietly removed from their properties before the brothers left for Thailand.

The family's luxurious Goa residence, constructed just two years ago at a cost of several crores, now stands abandoned. Only a dog remains on the property.

On Wednesday, the Luthra brothers failed to secure interim relief from arrest from a Delhi court.

The brothers have requested a four-week transit anticipatory bail, claiming they need protection from immediate arrest upon their return from Thailand. They also seek interim protection from custodial interrogation.