Thailand: The deportation of Birch by Romeo Lane owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra from Thailand has formally begun, marking the first decisive step to bring the Delhi-based brothers back to India in the investigation into the Goa fire that killed 25 people.
Thai authorities have confirmed that the brothers, detained in Phuket, have now been taken to Bangkok for handover to Indian officials.
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Detention In Phuket And Movement To Bangkok
According to a report by News18, Thai officials said that the brothers were picked up from Hotel Indigo in Patong after Indian agencies flagged their presence. They had travelled to Thailand on an IndiGo flight in the early hours of December 7, booking last-minute tickets at 1:17 am while firefighters were still trying to control the blaze at their club in Arpora.
The Regional Passport Office in Delhi later suspended their passports after they failed to respond to a notice seeking justification for retaining them. The suspension made their travel documents invalid in Thailand, allowing authorities to act on India’s detention request.
Thai police traced them using travel records, seized their belongings and moved them to an immigration detention centre. Images released on Thursday showed both men in handcuffs.
Officials said they were transported to Bangkok to complete formalities, including the issuing of Emergency Travel Certificates by the Indian embassy. They are expected to remain in custody until the documentation is finished. A Goa Police team has already reached Phuket to coordinate with Thai authorities, while Indian agencies aim to bring the brothers back by the end of the week, subject to procedural timelines.
Return To India And Charges They Face
Once the travel documents are issued, the brothers will be flown to Delhi because there are no direct services between Thailand and Goa. Chief Minister Pramod Sawant has confirmed that a police escort team will be in place and that the two men will be arrested on arrival. They face charges of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence. Their anticipatory bail plea has already been rejected by a Delhi court.
Police investigations suggest the fire began around 11:45 pm on December 6 when electric firecrackers struck the wooden ceiling during an event attended by over 150 people. Many managed to escape but several were trapped in the basement when the exit route caught fire. Authorities have arrested co-owner Ajay Gupta, who claims to be "a sleeping partner" and five staff members as well.
Interpol issued a Blue Corner Notice after Indian agencies began tracking the brothers, and the deportation is being coordinated by the Indian foreign ministry, the Indian Embassy in Thailand, the CBI and Thai authorities under the bilateral extradition treaty operational since 2015.
