Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers deported from Thailand, taken into police custody
New Delhi (PTI): Gaurav Luthra and Saurabh Luthra, co-owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa where a massive fire killed 25 people, were deported from Thailand on Tuesday and taken into custody by Delhi and Goa police as soon as they landed in Delhi.
The brothers arrived in the Indian capital in an Indigo flight and were immediately handed over to authorities for further legal proceedings, 10 days after a blaze tore through the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora in North Goa.
Gaurav, 44 and Saurabh, 40, will be produced before a Delhi court where the Goa police will seek their transit remand.
A TV reporter tracking the brothers from Bangkok attempted to shoot inside the aircraft, prompting the airlines and accompanying security officials to summon additional force to whisk away the two men.
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The Luthra brothers are facing a case of culpable homicide and negligence following the December 6 tragedy, which investigators allege was compounded by the nightclub operating in violation of mandatory fire safety norms. The incident raised serious questions over alleged fire safety violations and lapses by the management.
Gaurav and Saurabh fled to Phuket in the early hours of December 7, hours after the fire at their nightclub, prompting the authorities to issue an Interpol Blue Corner Notice and cancel their passports.
The duo was detained by Thai authorities at Phuket on December 11 following a request from the Indian government which later coordinated with officials in Thailand to deport them under legal treaties between the two nations.
On December 11, a Delhi court rejected the transit anticipatory bail pleas. Additional Sessions Judge Vandana termed the allegations against the brothers "prima facie grave and serious" and severely criticised their "conduct."
The court took note of the police investigation that the brothers had booked tickets to Phuket one hour after the fire, a fact their counsel had initially "concealed" while seeking protection from immediate arrest.
The judge said that leaving immediately after the tragedy was a clear attempt to "evade the legal process".
Observing that "someone has to be held accountable" for the tragedy, the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court on Monday converted a civil suit against the nightclub into a public interest litigation (PIL).
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Bengaluru: Woman falls prey to 'digital arrest' scam, losses over Rs 2.05 cr
Bengaluru (PTI): A 57-year-old woman fell prey to an alleged "digital arrest" scam and lost over Rs 2.05 crore to cybercriminals, who posed as law enforcement officials, police said on Tuesday.
'Digital arrest' is a form of cyber fraud where fraudsters pose as law enforcement officers and threaten people through audio or video calls, forcing them to transfer money online.
The woman was also coerced into selling multiple properties and taking bank loans to meet the fraudsters' demands, they said.
The offence is said to have occurred between June 19 and November 27, police said.
According to the complaint, on June 19, 2025, he received a call from an unidentified number claiming to be from Blue Dart courier company, informing her that a baggage allegedly linked to her Aadhaar card contained drugs and that Mumbai Police would arrest her.
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The caller then instructed her to install an app and began video calling her regularly. In the first week, they continuously monitored her through video and WhatsApp calls, the FIR stated.
It further stated that the accused allegedly appeared on video calls wearing police uniforms and claimed to be officers of the rank of inspector and deputy commissioner of police.
Police said the accused used to contact the complainant through multiple unknown mobile numbers and demanded money, threatening that her son's life would be in danger if payments were not made.
Fearing arrest and harm to her family, the complainant sold two plots in Malur at a low price, disposed of an apartment in Vignan Nagar, and also availed a loan from a private bank to arrange the money, which was transferred to the accused, the FIR said.
From June 20, she had transferred Rs 2,05,16,652, the FIR stated.
The fraud came to light when the accused allegedly asked the complainant to visit a police station to obtain a 'no-objection certificate' and promised that the entire amount would be returned, following which the victim realised that she had fallen prey to a digital arrest scam.
Based on her complaint, a case was registered at Whitefield CEN crime police station on November 27 under Sections 319 (2) (Cheating by personation) and 318 (4) (Cheating) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and relevant sections of the Information Technology Act, police said, adding that further investigation is under way.
