New Delhi: Around an hour and a half after the Goa Fire Department received a distress call from the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, its Delhi-based owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra booked their tickets for an IndiGo flight to leave the country.
“The ongoing investigation has revealed that the Luthra brothers booked tickets to Thailand on MMT platform at 1.17 am on 7th December, at the very time when Goa police and fire services were battling the blaze and rescuing those trapped,” said Goa Police spokesperson Nilesh Rane.
According to the preliminary incident report of the fire that engulfed the club and its basement, leading to the deaths of 25 people, the nearest fire station in North Goa’s Mapusa had received a call at 11.45 pm Saturday.
The Luthra brothers left for Phuket, Thailand, hours before Goa Police got a Look Out Circular issued against them. Interpol also issued a Blue Corner Notice based on the inputs from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has been roped into the case by the Goa Police. An Interpol Blue Notice is issued to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location, or activities in relation to a criminal investigation.
Delhi court refuses immediate relief to Luthra brothers
Meanwhile, a Delhi court Wednesday heard the transit anticipatory bail applications of the Luthra brothers and refused to grant immediate relief. The Goa Police strongly opposed the plea before the court, and sought a week to file a counter to the Luthras’ plea.
Additional Sessions Judge Vandana of the Rohini court asked the state police to file a response by Thursday, when the matter will be heard next.
Ajay Gupta, the third co-owner of the Birch nightclub was also produced before the magistrate by a Goa Police team stationed in Delhi. He will be brought to Goa after a medical examination.
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: Jharkhand brothers, fellow chef from Nepal—migrant workers bear the brunt of Goa nightclub inferno