Night club fire: 'Co-owner' Ajay Gupta flown from Delhi to Goa

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Ajay Gupta, who claimed to be a silent partner and investor in the fire-ravaged ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub, has been brought from Delhi to Goa on transit remand for questioning.

A massive fire broke out at the facility in North Goa around midnight on 6 December, killing 25 people, including 20 staff members and five tourists.

An official said, Goa Police landed at Manohar International Airport in Mopa at 9:45 pm on December 10 with Gupta. He was taken to Anjuna police station for further investigation.

Earlier on December 10, Gupta, a resident of Jammu, was produced before Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Vinod Joshi in Delhi, who granted 36-hour transit remand to the Goa Police to take him to the coastal state.

The court cited the ongoing air travel crisis due to disrupted IndiGo flights as the reason for the extended remand window, and also directed the authorities to ensure proper medical care for Gupta, who suffered a spinal cord injury during his transfer.

Earlier, a Look Out Circular (LOC) was issued against Gupta.

Goa Police has already arrested five managers and staff members in connection with the fire that broke out at the nightclub located in Arpora, 25 km from Panaji, around midnight on December 6.

Brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, co-owners of the nightclub, left for Phuket, Thailand soon after the fire. Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued against him.

They failed to get interim relief from a Delhi court, which fixed their plea seeking transit anticipatory bail for hearing on December 11.

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In court, the Luthras’ lawyer denied allegations that they had eloped, claimed the trip was for a business meeting and argued that the brothers are only licensees, not the actual owners of the nightclub.

In his bail plea, Saurabh requested four weeks of advance transit protection, arguing that returning to Goa posed an “imminent threat to his life, liberty and security” due to the angry mob.

However, Additional Sessions Judge Vandana posted the case for Thursday and asked Goa Police to respond.

Officials said the Luthra brothers booked their tickets to Phuket through a travel portal at 1:17 am on December 7, within an hour of learning about the devastating fire.

While the police and administration were still battling the fire and attempting to rescue the staff, the two left India on an IndiGo flight early on Sunday.