The Goa Police have suspended the passports of Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the principal owners of Goa’s Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where 25 people were killed in a fire on December 6. The investigation found that the Luthra brothers fled to Thailand immediately after the incident.
The Ministry of External Affairs said passports can be suspended by the Central Government or an authorised officer under Section 10A of the Passports Act 1967. A person whose passport is suspended cannot travel using that document.
In the case of the Luthra brothers, who have already left the country, their passports now stand temporarily invalid, preventing further travel abroad. Suspension of passports is common in criminal cases and reactivation requires completing legal procedures or meeting specified conditions. Sources said the next step is likely to be cancellation of the passports.
The brothers, currently in Phuket in Thailand, are facing a widening criminal investigation, several look-out notices and an Interpol Blue Corner Notice.
Luthra brothers fled to Thailand while their nightclub was burning: Police
The Luthra brothers booked flight tickets to Thailand while emergency teams were still trying to control the fire at Birch by Romeo Lane and rescue people trapped inside. Officials confirmed that they logged into the MakeMyTrip platform at 1:17 am on December 7, at the same time the Goa Police and Fire Services were carrying out rescue operations at the nightclub. Immigration records show that they boarded an IndiGo flight 6E 1073 to Phuket, which departed from Delhi at 5:30 am.
On Wednesday, the brothers failed to obtain interim protection from arrest from a Delhi court. They have asked for four weeks of transit anticipatory bail, saying they need protection from immediate arrest when they return from Thailand. They are also seeking interim protection from custodial action.
A total of six people have been arrested in connection with the fire, including the owner's brother's partner, named Ajay Gupta. He was picked up from Delhi by the police on Tuesday and taken to Goa on a transit remand on Wednesday.
The Luthra brothers also suffered a setback from a Delhi court, which rejected their anticipatory bail.
