On Monday, 2 November, the Bombay High Court at Goa directed Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of the Arpora nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane, to deposit an additional ex gratia compensation of ₹20 lakh for each of the 25 victims who died in the December 2025 fire tragedy.
A division bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit S. Jamsandekar accepted the Luthra brothers’ schedule to deposit the ₹20 lakh per victim in three instalments: ₹5 lakh by 16 November, another ₹5 lakh by 7 December and the remaining ₹10 lakh by 7 February, 2027.
The bench made it clear that the ex gratia amount will not be refunded under any circumstances, even if final awards determined by consumer forums or under the Workmen’s Compensation Act specify a lower amount. The compensation was finalised “without prejudice to any other claims that the kin may wish to pursue,” said advocate Prachi Sawant, representing the victims’ families.
Background and legal proceedings
On the night of 6 December 2025, a massive fire broke out at the nightclub in Arpora village in North Goa, which took 25 lives. The High Court initiated suo motu proceedings after an inquiry. The inquiry revealed that the club operated from an unauthorised structure and lacked mandatory building licences, town planning clearance and fire safety approvals.
The High Court had earlier held that the Goa government cannot evade responsibility and must share liability with the club’s owners, emphasising that the disaster reflected a severe violation of workers’ fundamental rights. The bench also directed all village panchayats in Goa to submit affidavits detailing building permissions, trade licences, and no-objection certificates issued over the past five years.
The Luthra brothers had fled to Thailand following the incident and were subsequently brought back to India. They are facing criminal proceedings in connection with the tragedy. Families of four of the five tourist victims have also separately filed complaints before the consumer forum.
The legal aid counsel appearing for the victims had sought compensation of at least ₹50 lakh per family. However, the court finalised the interim amount at ₹20 lakh. The matter will come up for further hearing on 2 December.
The order brings interim relief to the families of the 25 victims, even as the criminal proceedings against the owners and the broader questions of regulatory failure in Goa’s hospitality sector remain before the courts.
