Mapusa (Goa): A district court in Mapusa, North Goa, granted bail to Ajay Gupta, one of the owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub. Gupta had been in custody for over three months following his arrest in New Delhi in connection with a catastrophic fire that claimed 25 lives in December 2025. The tragedy, which occurred at the Arpora-based nightclub around midnight on December 6, resulted in the deaths of 20 staff members and five tourists, making it one of the deadliest fire incidents in the state’s history.
During the bail arguments, defence lawyer Rohan Desai contended that the 4,150-page chargesheet filed by the Goa Police failed to provide specific evidence linking Gupta to the tragedy. Desai argued that the voluminous document, which includes statements from over 300 witnesses, does not clearly define Gupta’s role in the operational lapses or the alleged forgery of documents. The court subsequently ordered Gupta’s release on a surety of ₹50,000, while imposing strict conditions including the surrender of his passport and a prohibition on leaving the country without judicial permission.
The police investigation, which led to the arrest of 13 individuals including co-owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, has focused on major fire safety violations and the unauthorized expansion of the nightclub structure. While the chargesheet was filed on February 27, 2026, the granting of bail to one of the primary accused has sparked fresh concerns among the families of the victims regarding the pace of the prosecution. The court has warned Gupta against any attempts to tamper with evidence or influence witnesses while out on bail.
