Nightclub fire: Goa Police issue LOC against two people; illegal beach shack demolished

New Delhi/Panaji, Dec 9 (PTI) Goa Police on Tuesday issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) against two people of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' night club, an action taken after the club's two owners managed to flee the country to Thailand, just hours following the devastating Saturday blaze that killed 25 people.

The LOC was issued against Ajay Gupta and Surinder Kumar Khosla, a British citizen, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police Varsha Sharma told reporters. She said the two were also believed to own the nightclub.

Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the two primary owners of the nightclub, had fled to Phuket in Thailand following the Saturday night tragedy in Arpora.

The Goa Chief Minister's office said that an Interpol Blue Corner Notice, meant to gather information about the accused, has been issued against the duo.

Sharma said the new LOCs against Gupta and Khosla have been issued, and assistance is being sought from Interpol, through the CBI, for locating the Luthras.

"All attempts are being made to get them back to India," Sharma said, noting that the tracing attempts began immediately after the fire.

Then Director of Panchayat Siddhi Halarnkar and then Goa State Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Shamila Monteiro have been asked to join the investigation, the DIG said.

The Goa Tourism Department demolished `Romeo Lane', a beach shack illegally constructed at Vagator by the Luthras, on the directive of Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, and reclaimed the 198 sqmt of land.

The structure, made of wood, was razed using machines, a senior official said, adding the demolition was carried out within two hours in the presence of police.

"This shack is illegally built on government land. It will be demolished on Tuesday. District administration has kept all the machinery ready," a senior CMO official said.

Police have so far arrested five people in connection with the incident, which include Chief General Manager Rajiv Modak, General Manager Vivek Singh, Bar Manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur and an employee Bharat Kohli.

Kohli, a resident of Delhi, was allegedly responsible for overseeing the daily operations of the nightclub and was arrested in the national capital.

Sharma also said that two former Goa government officials, then Director of Panchayat Siddhi Halarnkar and then Goa State Pollution Control Board Member Secretary Shamila Monteiro, have been summoned to join the investigation to ascertain regulatory lapses.

The investigation is highlighting severe allegations of illegal operations and construction.

Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar, the original landowner, stepped forward, stating he has fought a 20 year legal battle against Khosla, alleging persistent illegalities on the property.

Talking to PTI, Amonkar said he had purchased two plots of land in Arpora village in 1994 and signed an agreement for sale with Surinder Kumar Khosla in 2004, but it was withdrawn within six months as the latter failed to pay the money.

Khosla went on to set up a nightclub on the land, and it was later taken over by Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, Amonkar claimed.

The Arpora-Nagoa panchayat issued a demolition notice to Khosla in 2024. But Khosla challenged it and got a stay from the Directorate of Panchayat, he said.

"I have been fighting a battle for the last 20 years against Khosla, who has been involved in all kinds of illegalities in this property (land) I own," he said.

In the aftermath of the fire tragedy, the state government constituted a high-level committee to frame SOPs for carrying out a comprehensive safety audit and for granting various licences to nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and tourist establishments.

Various violations of rules by the nightclub are now coming to light. Authorities have found that Kazakh national Kristina, who was performing a belly-dance when the blaze erupted, didn't have the business visa to perform in India.

Arpora Sarpanch Roshan Redkar had earlier said that they had attempted to demolish the structure in the past, but could not do so as the Directorate of Panchayat had issued a stay order.

The state authorities, on the other hand, have blamed the local panchayat for allowing the illegalities to continue.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) on Monday stated that the sarpanch had signed NOCs for electricity connection, water connection, house repairs and granted a trade licence, among other permissions to the establishment.

The nightclub continued to run even after its trade licence expired in March 2024. PTI RPS ABS NB RSY ARU KRK SKL NSK