Indian Hospitality Tycoons Flee to Thailand Amid Investigations into Fatal Goa Nightclub Fire
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Two Delhi brothers, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who built a massive hospitality empire under the brand 'Romeo Lane', are now on the run in Thailand after a devastating fire at their Goa nightclub killed 25 people. The blaze, which occurred on Saturday, also exposed alleged irregularities in their business. The fire broke out at 'Birch', a nightclub in Goa's Arpora area, around 12:04 am on Sunday, when the club was packed with patrons. Just six hours later, the Luthra brothers boarded an IndiGo flight to Phuket, Thailand, where they landed around 11 am. The brothers, who are the main faces of the brand, are now wanted by police in Delhi and Goa, as well as central agencies and Interpol, following a Look Out Circular (LOC) issued by the Goa Police. Two of their co-owners, Ajay Gupta and Surinder Kumar Khosla, also face LOCs. The Luthras' rapid rise to fame began in 2015 with a small cafe in North Delhi's Hudson Lane. However, their breakout success came in 2019 with the launch of the flagship nightclub Romeo Lane in Delhi's Civil Lines. The brand quickly expanded into a massive hospitality empire with outlets in 37 cities across India, including Dubai and London, and plans to open an outlet in New York. However, their business has also been marred by controversy, including allegations of irregularities at their Goa establishments. The local sarpanch in Arpora has said that they did not have the necessary permissions for the Birch club, and authorities have pointed out that the club lacked proper fire safety arrangements. The investigation into the fire is ongoing, with authorities looking into how a cooking-gas cylinder blast may have been caused by the use of firecrackers indoors in a building made of highly combustible materials. Police in Goa are working to bring the Luthra brothers back to India via deportation, while the CBI has sought 'blue notices' to prevent them from fleeing Thailand. Five individuals, including an associate of the Luthras, have already been arrested in connection with the fire incident.
