CBI seeks Interpol notice against two Goa nightclub owners after deadly fire
NEW DELHI: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has requested Interpol to issue a Blue Colour Notice against two owners of the Birch nightclub in Goa, where a fire on December 6, 2025, claimed 25 lives . The notice comes as Goa Police conduct raids to locate the third owner in India. The accused owners, Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, reportedly fled to Thailand shortly after the tragic fire. The CBIs request follows a call from Goa Police to issue the notice, which is used to gather information on a persons identity, location, or activities during a criminal investigation. The third owner, Ajay Gupta, remains in India. Police are carrying out raids to trace him, with his last known location in Gurugram. A senior IPS officer said, The local police are helping in locating the accused. Authorities have also issued a Lookout Circular (LOC) against him, alerting airport staff and immigration officials. All three owners were in Delhi during the incident. Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra were tracked by the Bureau of Immigration in Mumbai as having boarded a flight to Phuket at 5:30 am on December 7. So far, Goa Police have arrested five people connected to the club, including chief general manager Rajiv Modak, gate manager Priyanshu Thakur, bar manager Rajveer Singhania, general manager Vivek Singh, and operations head Bharat Singh from Delhi. According to the FIR filed at Anjuna Police Station on December 7, the fire occurred around 11:45 pm during a fire show organised by the club owners, managers, and event staff. The FIR names Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra, and other unidentified persons as accused under sections 105, 125, 125(a), 125(b), and 287 read with section 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The FIR states that the fire show was organised without proper safety precautions or adequate fire equipment, despite the known risk of accidents. The restaurant lacked emergency exits on both the ground and deck floors and was operating without the necessary licenses and permissions from authorities. The blaze resulted in 25 deaths and multiple injuries to tourists and staff.
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