New Delhi. Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra and Ajay Gupta, accused in the Goa nightclub fire case that took place on December 6 last year, have received a setback from the Supreme Court. The apex court refused to stay the Bombay High Court order canceling the bail of these three. Also, all three have been instructed to surrender within two weeks. Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra and Ajay Gupta are the owners of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub. In that horrific fire, 25 people present in the club were killed and more than 50 were injured.
The Supreme Court has directed the lower court to speed up the process of framing charges and complete the hearing of the case soon. Earlier on August 18, the Bombay High Court had canceled the bail of the three accused. The court had said that it is clear from the information on record that the nightclub was being run without a license and was also constructed illegally. Knowing all this the accused were operating without security arrangements. The High Court had directed the three accused to surrender before the Sessions Court within two weeks. This order of the High Court was challenged by the accused in the Supreme Court but they did not get any relief from there.
Senior advocates Abhishek Manu Singhvi and Siddharth Dave presented arguments in the Supreme Court on behalf of the accused. Opposing the decision of the High Court, he said that my clients have not committed any crime intentionally, it is a case of alleged negligence. Whereas Additional Solicitor General SV Raju and Standing Counsel Surjendu Shankar Das, appearing for Goa Police, opposed the petitions of the three accused.
