Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, wanted in connection with the tragic Goa nightclub fire that claimed 25 lives, have been taken into custody in Thailand. Newly released images show the brothers standing with their hands bound, holding their passports, alongside Thai police officers.

The two brothers, who operate the Romeo Lane restaurant and lounge chain in India and abroad, reportedly flew to Phuket within hours after the fire erupted at their North Goa nightclub, Birch by Romeo Lane, located in Arpora village. They are facing accusations of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and negligence.

According to officials familiar with the case, procedures to deport the duo back to India have already begun so they can be tried in Goa.

The fire took place late on Saturday night during a musical event attended by nearly 100 guests, many of them tourists. Videos captured moments before the tragedy show performers dancing as electric firecrackers go off—believed to be a likely trigger for the blaze. The venue’s heavy use of flammable decorations, lack of working fire extinguishers and alarms, and a narrow approach road that kept fire engines 400 metres away all contributed to the high death toll. Most victims died from inhaling toxic smoke in the club’s basement.

The incident sparked anger across Goa during peak tourist season. Four staff members were arrested soon after, while the search for the Luthra brothers intensified. Investigators later found that the pair had booked flights shortly after the fire and left the country before authorities could raid their Delhi residences. Their business partner, Ajay Gupta, has already been arrested in Delhi.

In their legal plea, the brothers have sought four weeks of transit anticipatory bail from a Delhi court, arguing that they were not the owners but only licensees of the premises and were out of India on a business trip, not fleeing the investigation. They maintain they were not at the nightclub at the time of the fire.

Indian agencies will continue to push for their immediate deportation to ensure they face trial in Goa.