Goa fire: Owners of nightclub fail to get interim relief; court to hear transit anticipatory bail plea on Thursday

New Delhi: Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of Goa's Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub that caught fire killing at least 25 people, on Wednesday failed to get interim relief from a Delhi court which posted their plea seeking transit anticipatory bail for hearing the following day.

Additional Sessions Judge Vandana, who was hearing the transit anticipatory bail of the accused persons, sought a response from Goa on the transit anticipatory bail filed by the two brothers and set the next date of hearing for Thursday.

The brothers sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail so that they are not immediately arrested after they return to Delhi from Thailand. They have also sought interim protection from arrest.

Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the two primary owners of the nightclub located at Arpora in Goa, had fled to Phuket in Thailand following the tragedy on the night of December 6. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice has been issued against them.

Earlier, a Look Out Circular (LOC) had been issued against Ajay Gupta, one of the four owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, after a Goa police team failed to find him at his Delhi residence. He was later detained in Delhi.

A senior official has disclosed that Gupta would be placed under arrest after the completion of formalities to bring him to Goa.

Besides, an LOC has been issued against Surinder Kumar Khosla, another owner of the nightclub who is a British citizen, according to the police.

The police have so far arrested five people -- the nightclub's chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and employee Bharat Kohli.

Twenty-five people were killed in the fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub at Arpora in North Goa around midnight on December 6.