Goa nightclub fire: On Goa govt request, MEA mulls revoking passports of Luthra brothers; net tightens | India News

NEW DLEHI: The external affairs ministry on Wednesday received a request from the Goa government seeking to revoke the passports of Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, and the request is currently under examination, reported PTI citing sources. The move comes amid an expanding probe into the nightclub blaze in North Goa that killed 25 people last week. Earlier on Tuesday Interpol issued a blue corner notice against the brothers, who are believed to be hiding in Phuket, Thailand. According to the police investigation, the Luthra brothers booked tickets for a Phuket-bound flight at 1.17am on December 7, even as firefighters battled the massive fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora. They reportedly flew out by 5.30am on IndiGo flight 6E-1073. Goa DGP Alok Kumar described their departure as “a clear attempt to evade investigation.”Despite leaving India, the brothers have approached a Delhi court for four weeks’ transit anticipatory bail, arguing they travelled to Thailand for work and not to escape. Their plea, filed in a Rohini court on Wednesday, stated: “We want to come back,” while maintaining they were not involved in daily operations of the nightclub.A beach shack run by the brothers is also slated for demolition. Shortly after their departure, Look Out Circulars were issued, and a Goa police team reached Delhi with an arrest warrant, but the duo was untraceable. Immigration authorities later confirmed they had already left the country. Their anticipatory bail plea will be heard on Thursday after the court declined interim relief.Meanwhile, Goa police have arrested four staff members of the nightclub – chief general manager Rajiv Modak, gate manager Priyanshu Thakur, bar manager Rajveer Singhania and general manager Vivek Singh – who have been remanded to six days’ custody. Three suspended state government officials have also been summoned as the investigation continues.