Goa nightclub fire: Luthra brothers granted bail in mishap case
What's the story
Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa, have been granted bail over the incident of a tragic fire at their establishment. The December 6 fire claimed 25 lives in Arpora, North Goa. The court's decision to grant bail comes after their anticipatory bail plea was rejected in a separate case involving forgery and cheating allegations against them. This ensures that the brothers will remain in jail.
Legal troubles
Luthra brothers accused of forging no-objection certificate
The Luthra brothers are accused of forging a no-objection certificate from the Health Office. They allegedly used this fake document to obtain excise licenses and other necessary approvals for their nightclub. In addition to the fire incident, authorities have filed a second FIR against them for using these forged documents to keep their club running. The second FIR against the Luthra brothers alleges that they used forged documents to obtain permissions for running their nightclub.
Partners' role
Sleeping partner's role
Apart from the Luthra brothers, Ajay Gupta, who was first thought to be just a "sleeping partner," turned out to be deeply involved in running the club. After the fire, he quickly left Goa and showed up at a Delhi hospital owned by a friend, from where the police arrested him. He is reported to have used his connections, including with a former IPS officer, to help the club dodge legal trouble despite several police warnings.