GOA: The first image of Gaurav Luthra, one of the owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Goa, has emerged after he was spotted at Thailand’s Phuket airport.Interpol has issued blue corner notice against nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, Goa Chief Minister’s Office said in a statement.The Interpol Blue Notice is issued to collect additional information about a person’s identity, location or activities in relation to a criminal investigation. The Red Notice which calls for detention of the fugitive can only be issued after a charge sheet is filed and a Non Bailable Warrant is issued against the wanted person.Hours after a fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora claimed 25 lives on Saturday night, the club’s owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, fled India for Thailand.Also read | Goa nightclub inferno: Luthras board Indigo flight to Thailand; post ‘profound grief’ on social media, Interpol alerted
According to Goa Director General of Police Alok Kumar, the brothers reached Delhi’s international airport at 3am on Sunday and boarded Indigo flight 6E-1073 to Phuket at 5.30 am, indicating an intent to evade investigation.Following a request from Goa police, the Bureau of Immigration issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against them. Authorities are coordinating with Interpol through the CBI to secure their arrest.Also read | ‘Gold medallist engineer’: Rise & rise of Luthra brothers eclipsed by Goa nightclub tragedyAn FIR has been filed against the brothers, and Goa police traveled to Delhi with an arrest warrant. Raids at their residential and office addresses did not locate them, and notices were posted at their properties.Goa police confirmed the brothers had left the country through information from the Bureau of Immigration in Mumbai.Meanwhile, acting on intelligence from Goa police, Delhi police’s crime branch arrested Bharat Kohli from his North Delhi residence in Sabzi Mandi and handed him over to Goa authorities.
