Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub where a fire broke out this week, are now wanted by the Goa police and have fled to Thailand.
According to police, the two were in Delhi when the fire occurred on Saturday night.
An officer who spoke to the Indian Express said “When the Bureau of Immigration at Mumbai was contacted, it was found that both the accused had taken a flight to Phuket at 5.30 am on December 7, that is hours after the incident,” Goa police had already reached out to Interpol Division of the CBI to issue a Blue corner notice and apprehend the two. Blue corner notices are issued to collect additional information about a person, their location and activities.
Saurabh Luthra made a statement on Instagram saying, “The management expresses profound grief and is deeply shaken by the tragic loss of lives resulting from the unfortunate incident at Birch. In this hour of irreparable sorrow and overwhelming distress, the management stands in unwavering solidarity with the families of the deceased as well as those injured… The management further affirms that it shall extend every possible form of assistance, support and cooperation to the bereaved and affected individuals.”
How the Luthra brothers started a nightclub that expanded to 30 cities
The Luthras started out in the industry only a decade ago and have had a meteoric rise in the past couple of years.
Saurabh Luthra, who is the chairman of Romeo Lane, holds a B.Tech degree in computer science and worked in the corporate sector for a decade before becoming an entrepreneur.
He started with the Cafe-lounge Mama’s Boui and later started the bar DrameBaaz in Northeast Delhi’s Hudson Lane.
Their nightclub, Romeo Lane, was their breakthrough to widespread recognition. They began expanding the nightclub and launching premier restro bars and rooftop restaurants in about 30 cities, including Delhi, Noida, Gurgaon, Goa, Bhopal, Indore, Dehradun, Lucknow and Dubai.
The brand also expanded to have a boutique hotel in Goa.
According to Romeo Lane’s website, he was named an 'iconic restaurateur' in 2023. He had also gained several awards and recognition, including being featured in media outlets for the 40 under 40 entrepreneurs.
Gaurauv Luthra is listed as the founder of Romeo Lane, Birch, Caha and Mama’s Buoi.
The two live in North Delhi’s Outram Lane near the GTB Nagar metro station, which is located close to their first outlets.
In 2024, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi sent a show-cause notice to one of its clubs in north Delhi regarding seating arrangement limitations and poor hygiene in the kitchens. In December 2024, seven nightclubs in Goa, including the Birch by Romeo Lane, received a notice from the Goa state pollution control board for violating sound pollution regulations.
The brothers are now facing charges of culpable homicide. Goa police filed an FIR against the brother, the manager, who has now been arrested and the event organiser.
Delhi police crime branch, which is assisting the Goa police, said that the Luthras may have had a co-owner for the club in Goa and that he is currently in Delhi.
