In a major development, a local court in Goa on Wednesday, 1st April, granted bail to Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, the owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, in connection with the deadly fire incident that claimed 25 lives in North Goa’s Arpora.
Advocate Parag Rao, appearing for the brothers, said, “It is a conditional bail, with the usual conditions. We do not have a copy of the judgment. Once the judgment copy is available, we will know on what grounds it has been granted.”
Goa nightclub fire: Court grants bail to Luthra brothers in blaze that killed 25
— Economic Times (@EconomicTimes) April 1, 2026
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Chargesheet and earlier developments in the case
Last month, the Goa Police filed a chargesheet against 13 accused, including the Luthra brothers. The chargesheet stated that the actions of the accused led to an “irreparable loss… shattered 25 families,” and pointed to “gross criminal negligence” and a complete failure to follow safety norms.
According to the investigation, the brothers had left India just hours after the fire. They booked tickets at around 1:17 am on 7th December and took a flight from Delhi to Phuket at 5:30 am, shortly after the incident that occurred close to midnight. They were later deported back to India and arrested.
The case against them includes serious charges. The first FIR, filed on 7th December, booked the brothers along with the club’s partners, manager, and event organisers under culpable homicide. Police said the nightclub was operating without proper licences and safety clearances.
The FIR also mentioned that the accused had organised a fire show at the venue without adequate safety measures. It noted that they did so despite knowing the risks involved, stating that they acted “without taking proper care and caution” and failed to install essential fire safety equipment.
Earlier, a court had rejected their anticipatory bail plea of the brothers in a separate case involving allegations of forgery and cheating. The brothers were accused of forging a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Health Office to obtain licences for running the club. Following this, they were taken into custody by Mapusa police.
In February, while denying them bail, the court had made strong observations. It said the accused showed “complete disregard” for human lives by leaving the country soon after the incident. The court further remarked that the tragedy was not just an accident but “the foreseeable consequence of a patent failure to install essential fire safety measures.”
Background of the case
The incident took place late on the night of 6th December, 2025, at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub near Baga Beach in Arpora, Goa, around 25 km from Panaji. A massive fire broke out at the venue, which police suspect may have been caused by a cylinder blast.
The police control room received a fire alert at around 12:04 am. Emergency services, including police, fire brigade teams, and ambulances, reached the spot within minutes. After nearly two hours of firefighting efforts, the blaze was brought under control.
By the next morning, authorities confirmed that 25 people had died in the incident. Among the victims were tourists as well as staff members working at the club. Several others were injured and rushed to hospitals for treatment.
