Goa nightclub fire: Birch by Romeo Lane co-owner Ajay Gupta hid in Delhi hospital to stall arrest; how police smoked him out

NEW DELHI: Ajay Gupta — co-owner of Goa’s ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub — was tracked down to a private Delhi hospital where he had allegedly checked in citing “spine-related issues” in a bid to buy time and evade arrest in the blaze that killed 25 people on December 6.

His cover collapsed after medical clearance, following which he was detained and brought to the Anti Extortion and Kidnapping Cell of Delhi Police’s Crime Branch on Wednesday.As per news agency PTI, Gupta, who arrived masked and covering most of his face, offered a brief defence — “I am only a partner” — while entering the Crime Branch office at Sunlight Colony.According to sources, Goa Police had been searching for Gupta for days, issuing a Look Out Circular (LOC) after failing to trace him during their initial search in Delhi.

Investigators later located him at a Lajpat Nagar hospital, where he had reportedly admitted himself immediately after the fire probe intensified.Following medical evaluation, crime branch officers detained him and initiated formal procedures to hand him over to Goa Police, which is seeking a transit remand. Officials said Gupta is likely to be arrested once the paperwork is completed.Meanwhile, five staffers of the nightclub — chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and employee Bharat Kohli — have already been arrested in the case.

Two other co-owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, fled India shortly after the incident, prompting Goa Police to obtain an Interpol Blue Corner Notice against them.Once taken to Goa, Gupta will face extensive questioning on the nightclub’s management, the division of operational responsibilities and the fire-safety lapses that led to one of the state’s deadliest nightlife tragedies.(With agency inputs)