Goa nightclub fire: Registered owner challenged demolition order, police shielding him, claims AAP

Panaji, Dec 8 (PTI) The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Monday accused the Goa police of protecting the registered owner of the nightclub, where a massive fire claimed the lives of 25 people, by not naming him in the FIR.

Talking to PTI, AAP Goa president Amit Palekar claimed that in 2024, the Arpora-Nagoa panchayat had served a notice to Surinder Kumar Khosla, the property owner as per the documents, to demolish the nightclub, 'Birch by Romeo Lane'.

The police, however, refused to comment on the matter.

Palekar said that the demolition notice was issued based on a complaint filed against Khosla at the panchayat by local man Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar.

He claimed that Amonkar's complaint against the structure in 2023 had specifically mentioned the possibility of a major tragedy at the nightclub.

The Goa police have arrested four staff members of the nightclub 'Birch by Romeo Lane' in connection with the blaze that tore through the premises in Arpora village in North Goa late on Saturday night.

They have taken into custody the club's chief general manager, Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, and gate manager Riyanshu Thakur.

Palekar claimed that in 2024, the local panchayat had issued a demolition notice to Khosla, but he failed to raze the structure, and instead approached the Directorate of Panchayat and got a stay on the order.

The then Director of Panchayat Siddhi Halarnkar is one of the three officers suspended by the state government on Sunday.

The AAP leader pointed out that Khosla's name did not figure in the first information report (FIR) registered by the police, while the names of club owners — Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra — are mentioned.

He alleged that Khosla, who has his roots in the UK, may leave the country to evade a probe, and there is an urgent need to investigate him.

When contacted, police officers refused to comment on the matter.

"We are investigating the case, and at this point, we don't want to make any statements," a senior police officer said. PTI RPS ARU