Records expose Luthra brothers' claim of non-involvement as false

The Luthra brothers' attempt to distance themselves from the Goa nightclub where 25 people were killed has begun to unravel, with company filings, government records and their own past statements contradicting their claim that they played no role in running the establishment.

- ABHINANDAN MISHRA

Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra, directors of GS Foodstudio Private Limited and the faces of the Romeo Lane hospitality chain, told a Delhi court in their anticipatory bail plea that they were not involved in the day-to-day operations of the Vagator property and that local partners managed the business.

However, documents across multiple states, public statements made by the brothers before the tragedy, and the corporate structure they built over the years tell a different story. Registrar of Companies filings show that GS Foodstudio Private Limited, the flagship company controlled by the brothers, is an active entity operating hospitality brands including Romeo Lane, Birch, CAHA and Mama's Buoi. Corporate records list both brothers as managing directors, and their names appear across a cluster of hospitality companies and LLPs set up for projects in Delhi, Goa, Mumbai and other cities.

In Delhi, regulatory documents clearly identify “Romeo Lane, a unit of GS Foodstudio Private Limited, D-12 Defence Colony”, confirming that the brand is directly owned and controlled by the brothers' company, not franchised or operated by third parties.

These formal trails directly contradict their present stance that they merely lent their names while others ran the business.