Chargesheet in Birch fire case likely next week

Panaji: Goa police are likely to file a chargesheet in the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub alleged fire incident next week. Twenty-five people had lost their lives in the incident reported at Arpora on December 6, 2025.The chargesheet is likely to be filed against Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, besides others.“We will file a chargesheet in the case next week,” Anjuna police inspector Suraj Gawas told TOI. “Interpol has issued a blue corner notice against the property owner and UK national Surinder Kumar Khosla,” he said.Goa police arrested 13 people, including the Luthra brothers and their partner Ajay Gupta, among others, in the case.

Former Arpora-Nagoa panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar and former sarpanch of Arpora-Nagoa Roshan Redkar were also arrested.On December 7, govt suspended 3 officials in the wake of the blaze — Siddhi Tushar Harlankar, then director/additional director of panchayats; Shamila Monteiro, then member secretary of the Goa State Pollution Control Board; and Bagkar. Govt had terminated Bagkar’s services.Later, the pollution control board suspended 2 of its staff — scientific assistant Chaitanya Salgaonkar and junior environmental engineer Vijay Harichandra Kansekar — for not conducting a proper inspection at Birch by Romeo Lane.

The magisterial inquiry report gave 60 recommendations to the state govt, including actions and steps that need to be put in place to prevent such fire incidents.The inquiry report ran into 108 pages, besides 500+ pages of annexures and statements.When the fire broke out at the nightclub at around 11.45 pm on December 6, there were more than 150 tourists attending an event. A preliminary investigation by police and the directorate of fire and emergency services concluded that the fire broke out after electric firecrackers struck the wooden ceiling during the event.In a separate case, Mapusa police registered an FIR in connection with allegedly forging a health officer’s no objection certificate (NOC) to obtain an excise licence.In the FIR registered at Mapusa police station, Candolim primary health centre’s health officer, Dr Roshan Nazareth, stated that prior to December 13, 2025, authorised persons of Birch, which is run by Being GS Hospitality LLP, in which the Luthra brothers are directors, impersonated him, forged his signature and made a forged entry in the register to obtain a health NOC.