Rohan Umak
Luthra brothers get bail : In the aftermath of the Goa nightclub tragedy that occurred in December 2025, a court in Goa on Wednesday granted bail to the owners of the fire-ravaged club, Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra. Judicial Magistrate (First Class) Jude Sequeira passed the order in Mapusa, clearing the way for their release from jail while proceedings in the forgery case continue.
Appearing for the accused, advocate Parag Rao said that regular bail had been granted to the duo, enabling them to walk free subject to conditions. The duo has been directed to report to the Mapusa Police station daily for five days, and the defence is currently awaiting the detailed court order.
Luthra brothers alleged forged docs to obtain excise license
The case is centred on accusations that the Luthra brothers, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, had used forged documents to obtain mandatory permissions, as well as an excise license to operate the club in Arpora area of North Goa. The investigating police personnel alleged that they had submitted a fabricated No-objection Certificate (NOC) to secure regulatory clearances.
A health officer from the Candolim Primary Health Centre had lodged a complaint in this regard, alleging that his signature had been forged and that false entries were made in official records to obtain the health clearance.
Luthra brothers get bail: Duo was earlier granted relief in fire outbreak incident
Notably, on April 1, 2026, the brothers were granted bail in a separate case linked directly to the nightclub inferno case. The duo had fled to Thailand shortly after the blaze on December 6, 2025, that claimed 25 lives. Later, they were deported to India on December 17 and were arrested by the Anjuna Police upon arrival. The club’s co-owner, Ajay Gupta was also granted bail by a Mapusa district court on March 23, 2026. However, the court imposed strict conditions, including surrendering his passport and restricting foreign travel without prior permission.
Blaze broke out during a dance event
For the unversed, the fire broke out around midnight on December 6, 2025 at the Arpora-based nightclub during a dance event. The blaze engulfed the premises rapidly, ending up killing 25 persons, including staff and tourists, and left as many as 50 persons injured.
The incident triggered a wide-ranging investigation, after which the police arrested 13 persons, including the establishment’s owners.
