Police book Luthra brothers for forging health centre NOC

NT Reporter Mapusa

Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub that was destroyed in a fire at Arpora recently, leading to the loss of 25 lives, have been booked by the Mapusa police in connection with a forged No-Objection Certificate (NOC) of Candolim primary health centre.

Co-owner of the nightclub Ajay Gupta has also been booked for the offence, said police.

The Mapusa JMFC court on Monday extended the police custody of the Luthra brothers by four days. The court also sent Gupta to 11-day judicial custody.

The Mapusa police have moved an application to seek the transfer of Gupta’s custody for investigation and the matter will be heard on Tuesday.

It may be noted that the Luthra brothers were nabbed in Thailand and brought to India in connection with the nightclub fire case, while Gupta was detained in Delhi. They were subsequently arrested by Goa police.

Seeking extended police custody of the Luthra brothers, counsel for prosecution informed the court that the duo had forged an agreement pertaining to the nightclub and said the same needs to be investigated. The counsel for prosecution also informed the court that another offence has been registered against the Luthra brothers for forging an NOC from the Candolim primary health centre, which also needs to be probed.  When the court asked the Luthra brothers if they wanted to say anything, Saurabh said they will cooperate in the investigation. Counsel for the victims, the Joshi family, filed an intervention petition before the court.

Advocate Vishnu Joshi said new facts are emerging everyday in the police investigation into the nightclub fire case and hence the custody of Luthra brothers was necessary.

Advocate Joshi said that besides the Goa police, there is also a need for the central agencies like ED, CBI and I-T to intervene and investigate into huge financial transactions of the nightclub, “as the club was operating without trade licence’.

Speaking to media, Joshi said Goa police are doing a good job as new facts are coming to light, including a forged NOC submitted for obtaining excise permission. Besides, co-owner of the nightclub Gupta had allegedly forged a police verification certificate of Delhi police, he said.

“Currently, investigations are ongoing with regard to 42 companies of the Luthra brothers which are under scanner. It is suspected that the firms could be shell companies. Besides, 27 restaurants are operating,” Joshi said raising questions about their operation.