A tragic incident occurred at 'Burj by Romeo Lane' nightclub located in Arpora, Goa, where a fire on Saturday night resulted in the loss of 25 lives. The club's owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, are currently in Thailand. It is rumored that the Luthra brothers fled to Thailand after the fire broke out. Consequently, Interpol issued a Blue Corner Notice against them. To avoid arrest, the Luthra brothers have filed for anticipatory bail, levying several allegations.
A copy of the Luthra brothers' anticipatory bail application is in possession of Aaj Tak. They have alleged that the authorities are acting against them out of vengeance. They have refused to return to India due to the fear of arrest.
Their plea filed in court mentions that the petitioners and their partners conduct their operations from Delhi and do not oversee the restaurant's daily activities. The on-ground manager and restaurant manager handle day-to-day operations.
Representing the Luthra brothers in court, senior advocates Siddharth Luthra and Tanveer Ahmed Mir stated that their clients require security when returning to India, fearing arrest upon reaching Delhi.
The Luthra brothers mentioned in their petition that they frequently travel, sometimes even on brief notice, internationally. On December 6, the petitioners traveled to Thailand for a business meeting related to their professional work and evaluating potential restaurant locations. It was stated that the petitioners routinely visit prospective restaurant sites both domestically and internationally, often on short notice. It appears that actions against them are being taken as an act of retaliation.
The Luthra brothers are accused of fleeing to Thailand within five hours of thefire at the club on December 7. However, Saurabh Luthra stated in his petition that he left for a business meeting abroad a day before the fire.
Their lawyer Siddharth Luthra informed the court that the petitioners left for Thailand on December 6 for a business meeting.
Extradition Treaty between India and Thailand
Since 1982, an extradition arrangement exists between India and Thailand, which was formalized as a treaty in 2013. This treaty came into effect on June 29, 2015. Under this agreement, both countries can extradite their citizens for any offenses, including terrorism, economic crimes, or trans-national crimes.
Previously, several Indian offenders have been deported from Thailand. Notable instances include Kosaraju Venkateshwara Rao in 2006, Gurpreet Singh Bhullar in 2009, and Jagtar Singh Tara in 2015.
