In a major twist in the legal proceedings following the Goa nightclub fire tragedy, a court has granted conditional bail to the owners, Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra. However, the brothers will remain behind bars for the foreseeable future as they face a separate, linked investigation into allegations of forgery.
The Additional Sessions Judge at Merces granted regular bail to the pair in connection with the horrific blaze at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in December 2025, which claimed 25 lives. Represented by a legal team led by Senior Advocate Subodh Kantak, the Luthras successfully argued for their release in the primary case. Yet, the Mapusa police moved quickly to take them into custody for a secondary probe involving the alleged forging of a no-objection certificate (NOC) used to secure the club’s excise licence.
The brothers have been held at Colvale Central Jail since March 27, after their plea for anticipatory bail in the forgery case was thrown out. The investigation has taken a complex turn, with the Anjuna police focusing on the cause of the fire itself, while the Mapusa team unpicks the administrative irregularities that allowed the Arpora-based venue to operate in the first place.
The fire on December 6 remains one of the deadliest incidents in Goa’s history, leaving over 50 people injured alongside the two dozen fatalities. The Luthra brothers initially fled to Thailand soon after the tragedy, but they were later deported and arrested when they returned to India.
Although this is a small victory for the defence, there is a long way to go before they are cleared. The authorities are still investigating the nightclub’s compliance records, and with the forgery case taking centre stage, it does not look like the Luthras are leaving those prison gates anytime soon.
Also read: Luthras taken to Goa; Cops say they controlled club operations
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