From IndiGo to Indigo: How the escape plan of Luthra brothers collapsed

 

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, co-owners of the Goa nightclub where a fire killed 25 people last week, were traced to Thailand after they fled India within hours of the tragedy. They were detained in Phuket and are now being brought back to face charges.

 

How Luthras’ ‘Indigo’ story shattered:

 

Indian authorities confirmed that the Luthra brothers, the prime accused in the Arpora fire case, had boarded an IndiGo flight to Phuket shortly after the blaze erupted at their nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane, around midnight on 6 December.

 

The incident left twenty-five people dead and six others injured during a musical event that had drawn nearly a hundred guests, many of them tourists.

 

 

According to a report by Times of India, Thai police located the brothers at Hotel Indigo in Patong and detained them on Thursday. The deportation process began the following day. The two face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder, along with negligence.

 

Luthra brothers’ escape plan failed:

 

Their escape plan fell apart once Indian authorities intervened. As reported by NDTV, the Centre used Section 10A of the Passport Act to suspend their passports, a provision that allows officials to prevent individuals from travelling. With their documents cancelled, their stay in Thailand became illegal.

 

A Blue Corner notice was also issued by the Central Bureau of Investigation. According to the NDTV report, government sources said the swift cooperation of Thai officials helped ensure the brothers’ detention.

 

NDTV further reported that Thai authorities are now moving the brothers to Bangkok. An Indian law enforcement team will take custody of them when they land at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

 

They will then be sent to the Suan Phlu Immigration Detention Centre until the necessary deportation paperwork is completed. Because their passports remain invalid, the Indian embassy will issue an emergency travel certificate to facilitate their return.

 

Luthra brothers’ response:

 

In a statement shared through their lawyer and quoted by the BBC, the Luthra brothers said they would return to India on Thursday and “submit themselves to the jurisdiction of the police authorities and the judicial system”. They added that they intended to cooperate fully with investigators.

 

Saurabh Luthra, who identifies himself on social media as the chairman of the company behind the club, wrote that he felt “profound grief” over the tragedy. He said the management stood with the families of the victims and those injured, and he pledged support and assistance.

 

Delhi court rejects Luthra brothers’ bail plea:

 

Back home, a Delhi court dismissed the brothers’ pleas for transit anticipatory bail, which they had sought to avoid immediate arrest on arrival. Additional Sessions Judge Vandana rejected their request for four weeks of protection.

 

In a related development, a court in Goa remanded Ajay Gupta, who claimed to be a silent partner and investor in the nightclub, to seven days of police custody.

 

The incident, which took place during the holiday rush, left the state shaken. As officials prepare to bring the Luthra brothers back to India, the focus now shifts to the investigation and the accountability that families of the victims have been seeking.