Goa nightclub fire: HC directs Luthra brothers to deposit Rs 20 lakh each for victims’ kin

• The Bombay High Court asks Birch by Romeo Lane owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra to deposit Rs 20 lakh each as interim compensation for families of the 25 victims killed in the December 2025 Goa nightclub fire

• The victims’ families seek Rs 50 lakh each, against the owners’ earlier offer of Rs 25 lakh. The court asks both sides to discuss the proposal and report back by 21 October

• The fire in Arpora killed 25 people and injured 50. The Luthra brothers, deported from Thailand in December 2025, are currently lodged in Colvale Central Jail in Goa

The Bombay High Court on Monday directed Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in North Goa, to deposit Rs 20 lakh each as interim compensation for the families of the 25 people killed in a devastating fire at the establishment in December 2025.

A division bench comprising Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar issued the direction while hearing a petition seeking relief and compensation for the victims of the December 2025 blaze at Arpora, North Goa. The court clarified that the proposed deposit would be without prejudice to the parties’ contentions in the main matter, meaning the compensation arrangement would not determine the final outcome of the proceedings.

The bench asked the parties to work out the details of the proposed interim compensation and inform the court of the outcome by 21 October, when the matter is scheduled to be heard again.

During the hearing, advocate Prachi Sawant, appearing for the victims’ families, told the court that the families had sought compensation of Rs 50 lakh each from the nightclub owners, against the Rs 25 lakh offered by them.

Sawant informed the bench that she had explained the proposed compensation arrangement to the families, who had requested a higher amount closer to Rs 50 lakh each.

“I had explained to them, but they requested that something close to Rs 50 lakh could be paid,” Sawant told the court.

Taking note of the differing positions, the bench suggested that the nightclub owners deposit Rs 20 lakh each as interim compensation while leaving the parties free to pursue their respective claims in the main proceedings.

“Deposit the amount in the court. Their fight continues in the main matter,” the judges observed.

The direction provides for an interim deposit while the broader dispute over compensation remains pending. The court asked the parties to discuss the proposal and report back at the next hearing.

During the proceedings, Sawant also informed the court that the families of four tourists who died in the fire had filed a separate case before a consumer court in Haryana.

She further submitted that she had not yet received responses from all the victims’ families regarding the proposed compensation arrangement.

In view of the various proceedings arising from the incident, the bench asked the amicus curiae appointed in the matter to prepare a detailed list of cases pending in connection with the nightclub fire.

The list is expected to help the court assess the status of the different proceedings and facilitate consideration of the relief sought by the victims’ families.

The bench directed the parties to discuss the interim compensation proposal and communicate their decision by 21 October.

The fire broke out on 6 December 2025, at the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Arpora village, North Goa, while a dance party was underway.

The devastating blaze claimed 25 lives and left 50 people injured, triggering investigations and legal proceedings concerning the incident and compensation for those affected.

The victims included both local residents and tourists, whose families have since sought financial relief for the loss of their loved ones.

The incident prompted scrutiny of the establishment and its owners, as authorities pursued investigations into the circumstances surrounding the fire.

Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, the nightclub's owners, fled to Thailand following the incident. They were deported from Thailand on 17 December 2025, and are currently lodged in Colvale Central Jail in North Goa, according to the information presented in the report.

The High Court proceedings concerning compensation are separate from the broader legal issues arising from the fire.

The latest order focuses on providing an interim financial arrangement for the victims’ families while preserving their right to seek further relief in the main case.

With the next hearing scheduled for 21 October, the court is expected to consider the parties’ response to the proposed deposit and review the status of the related proceedings. The final compensation payable to the victims’ families remains subject to further proceedings and the court’s eventual determination.

With PTI inputs