After 10 days on the run, Luthra bros in 2-day remand of Goa cops

After escaping the long hands of the law for ten days, Luthra brothers, owners of an upscale Goa night cafe where 25 died in an inferno on December 6, finally landed in the police net today.They were sent to a two day transit remand to Goa police after being produced at the Patiala House Court here.Earlier in the day Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Land in Goa's Arpora, were deported to India from Thailand.

They landed at the New Delhi airport and were taken into custody.

Incidentally, the accused siblings had fled India on an IndiGo flight and were brought back to India on the same airline’s flight.

The Goa Police produced the duo before Judicial Magistrate Twinkle Chawla in the Patiala House Court and sought a transit remand of three days.

After the investigating officer informed the court that they will be taken to Goa by flight at the earliest, the judge

allowed the Goa Police a transit remand for two days.

“After taking custody of the deported Luthra brothers in New Delhi and on obtaining transit remand, Goa Police is bringing both the accused to Goa. The police team along with the accused is expected to reach Goa by tomorrow morning, “read a statement from the Goa police.

The duo landed at the Delhi Airport around 2 pm after being deported from Phuket, Thailand. On their arrival, they were taken into custody and were taken to the Safdarjang Hospital for a medical checkup.

Their court appearance happened later in the evening.

The Luthras, co-owners of 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub located in Arpora in North Goa, left for Phuket in Thailand, shortly after the fire incident.

An Interpol Blue Corner Notice was issued against them. The two were detained by Thai authorities in Phuket on December 11 following the intervention of the Indian mission, which was in close touch with the Thai government.

Several videos circulating online showed the Luthra brothers at the Bangkok airport ahead of their departure. They were handed over to the Indian authorities on arrival for further legal proceedings in the case.

Hours after the fire tragedy unfolded, the duo had fled to Phuket by an IndiGo flight on December 7. Their departure on an IndiGo flight, at a time when the airline was experiencing a nationwide meltdown due to widespread cancellations and delays, had initially raised suspicion.

Thai Police had detained the brothers from a resort in Phuket on Thursday after India had moved to suspend their passports and requested the Thai authorities to deport them.

Indian authorities have furnished all required documentation to the Thai side, including the necessary Emergency Certificates (ECs) issued after the brothers' passports were cancelled.

Earlier the duo had also applied for a transit anticipatory bail , however the same was rejected by a Delhi court on Thursday.

The accused had sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail so that they were not immediately arrested on their return to Delhi from Thailand. However, the pleas were dismissed by Additional Sessions Judge Vandana.