Goa Nightclub Fire: How Owners Fled After Deadly Blaze Killed 25

The Luthras and Ajay Gupta operate as partners in the 'Birch By Romeo Lane' nightclub.

In Panaji, as investigators delve deeper into the Goa nightclub fire tragedy, new information has emerged regarding how the three owners - Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra, and Ajay Gupta - responded to news about the devastating blaze that took 25 lives and exposed significant safety violations.

The owners of 'Birch By Romeo Lane' in Goa's Arpora now face serious legal consequences with a case registered against them for culpable homicide and negligence related to the deadly fire. Currently, the Luthra brothers have been detained in Thailand, with authorities working to facilitate their return to India. Meanwhile, Ajay Gupta was apprehended at a hospital in Delhi.

Investigators have uncovered the timeline of the Luthras' actions following the fire. The brothers were reportedly at a wedding celebration when they received information about the incident and its potential devastation. They immediately contacted their Delhi office in Model Town, instructing staff to secure flights to Thailand. They also directed their assistant, Bharat Kohli, to retrieve important documents from the office and deliver them to their Mukherjee Nagar residence. The brothers proceeded directly from the wedding venue to their home.

Within hours of the fire breaking out, the Luthras boarded an IndiGo flight to Phuket, Thailand. Investigators continue piecing together details, and the brothers' deportation will likely provide answers to remaining questions, including their specific choice of Thailand as a destination. Notably, one of the brothers possessed a long-term visa for the United Kingdom.

While the Luthras fled Delhi, their business partner Ajay Gupta was making his way to the capital from Goa. Despite previously claiming to be merely a "silent partner," the investigation has revealed Gupta was actually the most actively involved co-owner. When the fire occurred, Gupta was in Goa and was awakened by a call from the now-arrested club manager Priyanshu. Upon learning about the disaster, Gupta promptly boarded a flight from Dabolim to Delhi. After returning to his Gurugram residence, he departed in a Toyota Innova driven by his chauffeur.

Although Gupta had switched off his phone, authorities tracked his driver's device and located him at the Institute of Brain and Spine in Delhi's Lajpat Nagar. Investigators discovered that Gupta had connections with the hospital management and had arranged admission to avoid arrest. This strategy proved unsuccessful, however, as police quickly located him at the hospital, dismissed his fabricated injury claim, and took him into custody.

The investigation has revealed how extensive safety violations transformed the nightclub into a disaster waiting to happen. The establishment lacked functioning fire extinguishers and safety alarms, while the access road was too narrow for fire emergency vehicles. No emergency exit existed. According to the filed FIR, the restaurant was operating without proper licenses or permissions. Despite multiple warnings, the management failed to address these critical safety deficiencies.

Investigators have also noted that a former IPS officer's intervention previously helped dismiss a case against 'Birch By Romeo Lane,' which may have encouraged the owners to continue disregarding safety regulations. Ultimately, this preventable tragedy claimed 25 innocent lives.