Birch inferno fuels ED searches at nine locations in Goa, Delhi

Panaji: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Friday began a search operation at nine locations linked to the Luthra brothers and other accused in Goa and Delhi in connection with the inferno at Birch by Romeo Lane fire at Arpora which killed 25 people on Dec 6, 2025.The search was conducted at the residential and office premises of Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of Birch by Romeo Lane at Arpora, and their partner Ajay Gupta.The ED said the searches were conducted at around nine locations across Delhi and Goa, including premises at Outram Lanes (Kingsway Camp), Tatvam Villas, Gurugram, etc, as well as the premises of the former sarpanch Roshan Redkar and former panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar in Goa, who allegedly facilitated and issued illegal trade licences and NOCs. The ED teams were also present at the premises of UK national Surinder Kumar Khosla to examine the money-laundering angle arising from the illegal conversion of khazan land (salt pan) on which Birch by Romeo Lane was situated.The ED registered an enforcement case information report (ECIR) against the Luthra brothers, Gupta and Khosla.The ED initiated the investigation into the case under the alleged Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The ED registered the case based on the first information report (FIR) registered by Goa police.Goa police arrested a total of 11 people in connection with the case, including the Luthra brothers, Gupta, Redkar and Bagkar, among others.Out of 11, three people were granted bail, including a driver, gate manager and bar manager.Goa police had approached Interpol through the CBI, seeking that a blue corner notice against the UK national.When the fire broke out at the nightclub at around 11.45pm on Dec 6, there were more than 150 tourists attending an event. A preliminary investigation by police and the directorate of fire and emergency services concluded that the fire broke out after electric firecrackers struck the wooden ceiling during the event.In a separate case, Mapusa police registered the FIR in connection with allegedly forging a health officer’s no objection certificate (NOC) to obtain an excise licence.In the FIR registered at Mapusa police station, Candolim primary health centre’s health officer, Dr Roshan Nazareth, stated that prior to Dec 13, 2025, authorised persons of Birch, which is run by Being GS Hospitality LLP, in which the Luthra brothers are directors, impersonated him, forged his signature, and made a forged entry in the register to obtain a health NOC.