Saurabh, Gaurav Luthra at centre of Goa nightclub fire probe: 5 facts on Delhi-based bizman brothers

A Delhi court on Wednesday denied relief to the Luthra brothers and refused to give them immediate protection, posting the matter for Thursday.

The Luthra brothers, Gaurav and Saurabh - owners of Goa's Birch by Romeo Lane restaurant - where 25 people were killed in a massive fire on Saturday, fled to Thailand as police began their hunt for the two. The brothers even moved a Delhi court for anticipatory bail to avoid arrest.

The Luthra brothers, in their anticipatory bail plea, alleged that the state is indulging in a "witch-hunt" as they are not owners of the club in question, but rather its licensees. (Instagram/saurabhluthra16/luthragaurav)

The Delhi-based Luthra brothers, who own Romeo Lane - a chain of clubs and restaurants across 37 cities - fled to Thailand's Phuket in the early hours of Sunday, just a while after the tragic fire in their club in North Goa's Arpora, the Goa police said.

Birch by Romeo Lane has four owners, including Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra.

As police began their search for the brothers, Goa DIG Varsha Sharma said they are coordinating with the Central Bureau of Investigation and Interpol to bring the two back to India. A Blue Corner Notice has also been issued, Sharma added.

Goa club fire | 5 key facts on the Luthra brothers

• About the brothers: Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra run Romeo Lane, the popular chain of upscale restaurants and bars, located across 37 cities, including Delhi. Saurabh completed his B.Tech in software engineering from a university in Gujarat and worked as a business development manager for 10 years, HT earlier reported. Saurabh is a "gold medalist engineer-turned into a promising and fastest-growing restaurateur", who is also known for his "spending work in the F&B industry", according to Romeo Lane's website. Saurabh has won multiple awards and recognitions to his credit for the restaurants and bars since 2016 till now. Gaurav Luthra, on the other hand, is the founder of Romeo Lane, Birch and CAHA, according to his Instagram bio.
• Luthra's cafés and restaurants: The Luthra brothers have made their name in the hospitality business, running several cafés, restaurants and bars across major cities, including Delhi, Noida, Gurugram, and Hyderabad. They have registered their presence in Dubai and London, and are planning to open a Romeo Lane restaurant in New York as well, the earlier HT report mentioned. The Luthra brothers also own resorts in Goa and other places. The first-generation restaurateur and entrepreneur, the Luthra brothers are from Delhi's Outram Lines, Kingsway Camp. They entered the restaurant business in 2015 by starting a café under the brand name Mama’s Buoi at north Delhi’s Hudson Lane, followed by another brand name, Dramebaaz. In 2019, he opened a club named Romeo Lane in Delhi's Civil Lines.
• Controversies over Luthras' Romeo Lane: While Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra have exponentially risen in the hospitality sector, that has not been without controversy. The Romeo Lane chain of nightclubs and restaurants in Goa has faced complaints for repeatedly violating coastal regulation zones (CRZ) and sound pollution norms. Romeo Lane Goa, a party shack on the coastline at Vagator, has been in the crosshairs of locals for not just repeated violations of CRZ, but for playing loud music beyond permissible limits as well. A local, who runs a guest house not so far from the Vagator beach, said, "There are several complaints filed and FIRs that have been registered by the police against the establishment, but the violations continue," HT reported earlier.
• Blue Corner Notice: The Luthra brothers fled to Thailand's Phuket just hours after the deadly fire that left 25 people dead in Goa on Saturday. Investigators said that they are in contact with the Thai authorities to trace Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra. Goa DIG Varsha Sharma said, "We have coordinated with the CBI and Interpol. A Blue Corner Notice has also been issued." A blue notice allows member countries to collect information about a person's identity, location or activities in connection with a criminal probe. It is not an arrest request, but it helps countries track a suspect globally. Concerns were also raised over whether the Luthra brothers can be extradited from Thailand. In this regard, India and Thailand have had a formal extradition treaty in place since 2015, and officials noted that cooperation between the two countries in criminal matters has been strong. In the past decade, several fugitives have been deported from Bangkok, giving investigators confidence that the Luthras will be brought back to Delhi soon.
• Anticipatory bail plea: As investigators try to bring Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra back from Thailand, the two brothers have filed a petition for anticipatory bail in Delhi's Rohini Court to avoid arrest in the fire tragedy at their club in Goa. In their plea, the brothers sought protection to come back to India and approach the courts in Goa for further relief, as they fear arrest upon returning to Delhi. The brothers argued that the culpability of the incident cannot be attributed to them, as local managers of the club have already been arrested. Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra alleged that the state is indulging in a "witch-hunt" as they are not owners of the club in question, but rather its licensees. However, the court refused to give immediate protection to the brothers. It asked the prosecution to file a response to the Luthras' anticipatory bails, listing the matter for Thursday.