5 min readPanajiUpdated: Aug 13, 2026 06:34 AM IST
Forged documents to run the nightclub, an emergency exit that was locked, and a hasty flight to Phuket as tragedy unfolded — the chargesheet filed in connection with the December 6, 2025, fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Goa has revealed several lapses that contributed to the blaze and how the owners acted afterwards. The fire had killed 25 people.
The 4,420-page chargesheet was filed by the Goa police against 13 accused, including Ajay Gupta (55) and brothers Gaurav Luthra (44) and Saurabh Luthra (40), partners of Being GS Hospitality Goa Arpora LLP, which owned the club. They have been charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and forgery, among other offences. It also names Surinder Kumar Khosla, a UK national and the owner of the property where the nightclub was housed.
The chargesheet states that the Luthra brothers learnt of the fire at their establishment immediately after the incident, at around 11.45 pm. The managers informed the duo of the “gravity” of the situation and the “casualties” that took place, it states. At 1:13 am, Saurabh allegedly contacted their travel agent in Delhi’s Kamla Nagar from his wife’s phone and booked flight tickets for himself and his brother. At 5:25 am, the duo were on a flight to Phuket.
Gupta, it says, was in Goa from December 3-7 (until around 11:30 am). On learning of the incident, he allegedly headed to Delhi and “got himself admitted” at a hospital in Lajpat Nagar. It is alleged that he switched off his phone and was using his driver’s mobile before being arrested on December 10. It states that after learning of the fire, Khosla “immediately fled to the UK and remained absconding”. “Thereafter, a Blue Corner Notice was issued against him to secure his presence for the investigation. However, he is still absconding,” it adds.
Goa nightclub fire case: Luthra brothers, owners of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub were arrested following the deadly fire that killed 25 people.
The chargesheet details the nightclub’s precarious location — in the middle of a saltpan — and states that it had no fire safety equipment, no emergency evacuation plan, and no emergency exit doors in the basement and upper deck floor. “The interior of the upper ground/ deck floor was made up of dried reed grass, bamboo, wood and other combustible materials. To make the establishment soundproof, acoustic foam sheets were fixed below the roof’s metal sheets. Despite having knowledge that fireworks in an enclosed and crowded premise could cause a major fire hazard, they all allowed and facilitated the fireworks during the events,” it says.
It said a narrow concrete footbridge connecting the upper ground/ deck floor served as the main entrance and exit for tourists and staff. “On the west side, there was another similar narrow concrete footbridge… However, it was blocked… by locking the metal gate. There was no emergency exit for the upper ground/deck floor… or the entire basement,” it states, adding that the accused were aware of this. “Keeping the western side door unlocked would have facilitated emergency evacuation of the stranded tourists/ employees.”
A fire at the nightclub in North Goa’s Arpora on December 6 last year killed 25 people, including five tourists. (Express File Photo)
The chargesheet also lists Roshan Redkar, the then-sarpanch of village panchayat Arpora-Nagoa, and Raghuvir Bagkar, the former secretary of village panchayat Arpora-Nagoa, as accused. It alleges that Gupta and the Luthra brothers acted in alleged connivance with the two and “maliciously” procured the trade/ establishment licence. It states that this helped the partners and the property owner procure further requisite permissions, no-objection certificates, and licences.
Story continues below this ad
The chargesheet states that the application for licence had an “alteration” in blue ink, while the original application was in black ink. The partners did not renew the establishment/ trade licence for 2024-2025 and were running their club without a valid one. The chargesheet also notes that in order to procure the excise licence, the accused appended documents such as a police clearance certificate and a no-objection certificate from the Health Department. Upon verification, these were allegedly found to be forged.
Gaurav Luthra, co-owner of Goa’s Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub. (PTI Photo/File)
“The accused persons… were fully aware that they will not get statutory licences for their establishment since the structure was illegal and constructed without obtaining permissions from competent authorities. Therefore, they decided to forge/ fabricate the documents for procuring some of the licences,” it states.
Advocate Vaibhav Suri, who is representing the Luthra brothers, did not comment. Advocate Malak Bhatt, the counsel for Ajay Gupta, also declined to comment.