Goa club fire: Owners get bail in 2nd case, likely to be released later on Wed

Parag Rao, the lawyer of the brothers, said Mapusa’s judicial magistrate first class granted the two bail subject to regular conditions

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub where 25 were killed in a fire on December 6, were granted bail in a second case of alleged cheating and forgery and were likely to walk out of prison by Wednesday evening. The two were granted bail in the main case (culpable homicide) on April 1.

Birch by Romeo Lane owners Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra were arrested at the Delhi airport after being deported from Thailand. (ANI)

Parag Rao, the lawyer of the brothers, said Mapusa’s judicial magistrate first class granted the two bail in the second case subject to regular conditions on furnishing a bond of ₹1 lakh and a surety of ₹50,000 each.

On December 16, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra were arrested at the Delhi airport after being deported from Thailand, where they fled after the fire. The two were repatriated to India after an Interpol notice was issued against them and their passports were suspended.

On December 7, the two were booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita’s sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 125(a) and (b) (endangering life and personal safety), and 287 (negligent conduct with fire or combustible matter). The second case of cheating and forgery was filed against the Luthras for allegedly fabricating documents as part of the application process for the club.