Nightclub fire: Goa court orders fresh health check-up of Luthra brothers

PANAJI: A court in North Goa on Wednesday ordered fresh medical examination of Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, after they were produced there.

The brothers, who were brought to Goa from Delhi earlier in the day after being deported from Thailand in connection with the December 6 fire incident that killed 25 persons, were produced in the court in Mapusa after undergoing health check-up at the District Hospital in North Goa.

The court directed that the accused be sent for fresh medical examination. Accordingly, the two were again taken to the District Hospital.

A team of the Goa Police, along with the Luthra brothers, arrived at the Manohar International Airport, Mopa, in North Goa at 10.45 am.

The duo was initially taken to a Primary Health Centre at Siolim for medical examination. They were later taken to the District Hospital at Mapusa.

After their health assessment, which took over an hour, the two were taken to the Anjuna police station, about 10 km from there. They were subsequently produced in the court.

After the fire tragedy at Arpora village, the Anjuna police had registered a case against the Luthra brothers on various charges, including culpable homicide not amounting to murder.

The Luthra brothers were arrested on Tuesday as soon as they landed in Delhi after being deported from Thailand. A court there allowed the Goa Police their two-day transit remand.

The duo had fled to Phuket in Thailand early on December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.

They were detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government, which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.

Five managers and staff members have already been arrested by the Goa Police in connection with the fire.