Luthra Brothers' Thailand Detention: How a Simple Meal Outing Led to Their Capture After Deadly Goa Nightclub Fire

Gaurav and Saurav Luthra, who are now facing deportation to India regarding the fatal Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives, were discovered by authorities when they ventured out of their hotel in Thailand for a meal. According to NDTV sources, this brief excursion on December 9 enabled authorities to confirm that the brothers, who were being sought by Indian police, were staying in Phuket.

Thai officials had already placed the hotel under surveillance following information received from Indian agencies. When the brothers left the hotel premises, Thai immigration and police officers verified their identities and travel documentation. With their passports already under investigation by Indian authorities, the brothers were subsequently questioned, sources revealed.

After confirming their identities, the Luthra brothers were detained in their hotel room and transported to immigration for further legal processing. The deportation procedures commenced once formal documentation arrived from India.

The deadly fire swept through the nightclub in Arpora village, North Goa, around midnight on December 6, resulting in 25 fatalities, mostly staff members and several tourists.

Gaurav Luthra, 44, and his brother Saurav, 40, were apprehended in Thailand on Thursday, coinciding with a Delhi court's rejection of their transit anticipatory bail applications, citing their behavior and the severity of their alleged offenses.

The brothers were subsequently transferred to Bangkok by Thai officials on Friday and placed at the Suan Phlu Immigration Detection Centre. They will remain there until their deportation formalities are completed. A law enforcement team from India is expected to assume custody of the accused brothers shortly. The Indian embassy will issue an emergency travel certificate to validate their return journey, as their passports have been cancelled, creating a serious overstay situation.

A Goa court also ordered Ajay Gupta, allegedly a silent partner and investor in the nightclub, into police custody. While the Luthra brothers were reportedly attending a wedding in Delhi when the fire erupted and fled to Thailand within hours, Gupta was in Goa and was later located at a hospital in Delhi.

In Goa, authorities continued their campaign against illegal operations at nightclubs and tourism establishments, sealing 'Goya The Night Club' in Vagator for being constructed on agricultural land. The state also prohibited the use of fireworks, sparklers, pyrotechnic effects, flame thrower-type devices, smoke generators and similar equipment inside tourist venues. Reports indicate that fireworks triggered the blaze at Birch by Romeo Lane.

Upon their return to India, the Luthra brothers will face charges including injury causing death, manslaughter, and murder for organizing a fire show "without taking proper care and caution and without providing fire safety equipment and other safety gadgets."