Goa: A district court in Goa has granted bail to two managers of the nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’, who were arrested in connection with the devastating fire that claimed 25 lives earlier this month, while rejecting a similar plea by a third accused.
District Judge D.V. Patkar on Tuesday allowed the bail applications of Rajveer Singhania and Priyanshu Thakur, managers at the club, but denied relief to Vivek Singh. All three were taken into custody on December 7, a day after the fire broke out at the entertainment venue in Arpora village of North Goa.
Advocate Vinayak Parab, appearing for Singhania, the bar manager, and Thakur, the gate manager, said the court imposed strict conditions while granting bail. The order states that the accused must not directly or indirectly attempt to influence witnesses or interfere with the investigation in any manner.
The court further directed that the two managers shall not leave the country without prior written permission and must cooperate fully with the investigating agency. They have been instructed to make themselves available for questioning whenever required and to report to the Investigating Officer or the Anjuna police station once every month, preferably on the first Wednesday, until the filing of the chargesheet or final report.
The tragic fire erupted around midnight on December 6, killing 25 people, including 20 staff members and five tourists. The incident triggered widespread outrage and raised serious questions about safety norms at nightlife establishments in the state.
So far, eight people have been arrested in connection with the case. Among them are the club’s co-owners, Gaurav Luthra and his brother Saurabh, who were deported from Thailand following the incident. Investigations into the cause of the fire and alleged lapses in safety compliance are ongoing.
