Luthra brothers exit prison following bail in Goa forgery case
Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the ill-fated Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, are set to walk free after a Goa court granted them bail in a forgery and cheating case on Wednesday. This judicial relief follows a previous bail order regarding the December 6 blaze that claimed 25 lives, clearing the final legal hurdle for their immediate release from custody.
Mapusa police initiated the secondary case after health officials discovered the brothers allegedly faked a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Candolim primary health centre. Investigators claim the duo forged a signature to secure excise and business licenses. While the prosecution argued that these fraudulent actions enabled the club’s operation, the Judicial Magistrate First Class approved bail on a bond of 50,000 each, noting that trial delays should not result in pre-trial punishment.
Hours after the midnight inferno last December, the Luthras booked a flight to Phuket, Thailand, fleeing India within 90 minutes of the disaster. Their subsequent deportation and arrest highlighted the severity of the negligence charges. This incident mirrors similar high-profile fire tragedies in India, such as the Uphaar Cinema case, where questions regarding building safety norms and administrative corruption dominated the national discourse for decades.
Last month, Goa Police submitted a chargesheet against 13 individuals, accusing the owners of gross criminal negligence and total disregard for human safety. Despite the "irreparable loss" mentioned by investigators, the Sessions Court previously observed that culpable homicide does not equate to the "most heinous" crimes like murder. Consequently, the court ruled that the brothers did not harbor a specific intent to kill, making them eligible for bail under standard judicial conditions.
