Goa Nightclub Fire: Luthra Brothers' Passports Suspended As Owners Flee To Thailand

The Goa police has suspended the passports of the absconding Luthra brothers. The owners of the "Birch by Romeo Lane" nightclub had fled to Thailand after a fire broke out following a cylinder blast late Saturday night, killing at least 23 people.

According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), passports can be suspended by the Central Government or an authorized officer under Section 10A of the Passports Act, 1967. Once suspended, the holder cannot travel on that passport. In this case, although the Luthra brothers have already left India, their passports are now temporarily invalid, preventing further international travel. Sources indicate that the next step will be permanent cancellation of their passports.

Currently in Phuket, Thailand, the brothers face an expanding criminal probe, multiple look-out notices, and an Interpol Blue Corner Notice.

On Tuesday, Goa Police arrested Ajay Gupta, one of the four owners of Birch by Romeo Lane, where the fire killed 25 people and injured six. Among the victims were 20 staff members and five tourists. Gupta told NDTV, “I’m only a sleeping partner with the Luthras, nothing else.”

Investigators found that the Luthra brothers booked tickets to Thailand while emergency services were still battling the fire and rescuing patrons. Records show they logged onto MakeMyTrip at 1:17 a.m. on December 7 and later boarded IndiGo flight 6E 1073 from Delhi to Phuket at 5:30 a.m.

On Wednesday, the brothers failed to secure interim protection from arrest in a Delhi court. They sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail and requested immunity from custodial action upon their return.

Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant vowed strict action, telling NDTV: “Whether it is Thailand or anywhere else, we will pick them up from there and put them behind bars.”