Nightclub owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, along with their partner Ajay Gupta, surrendered before the Mapusa Additional District and Sessions Court in Goa.
The surrender follows the Supreme Court's August 31 dismissal of their petitions challenging the Bombay High Court's cancellation of their bail.
The case involves the December 6, 2025 fire at Birch by Romeo Lane in Arpora, North Goa, which killed 25 people and injured several others.
Goa Nightclub Fire: Three Accused Surrender In Court After SC Rejection
Three accused in the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub fire case, including owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, surrendered before a Goa court after the Supreme Court rejected their bail plea.
Summary
Three nightclub fire accused surrendered on Monday. Following Supreme Court directives, venue owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, along with partner Ajay Gupta, turned themselves in at the Mapusa Additional District and Sessions Court. The action came after the apex bench rejected their appeals against the revocation of their bail in the Birch by Romeo Lane disaster.
The case stems from the fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, on December 6, 2025. The fire killed 25 people and injured several others. On August 31, 2026, the Supreme Court dismissed the trio’s petitions against a Bombay High Court order that had cancelled their bail, directed them to surrender within two weeks and asked the trial court to expedite proceedings.
Advocate Saumya Drago, appearing for the accused, confirmed that the court accepted their surrender and issued the required remand orders. She also told reporters that the defence had moved an application seeking medical accommodations for the three accused.
Court Orders And Relief
The accused sought medical accommodations on the basis of their medical history, doctors’ prescriptions and medical records, Drago said. The court allowed their request for medicines and a mattress.
One request remains pending. Drago said the court did not immediately allow their plea for special footwear and instead sought a response from the investigating officer.
The matter is expected to come up again on the next working day, she said.
Bail Cancellation History
The bail had originally been granted by the Mapusa Sessions Court in March and April 2026.
That relief did not last. The Bombay High Court cancelled the bail on August 18, 2026, citing the seriousness of the case and the need for further legal proceedings.
The three accused then moved the Supreme Court. The top court declined to interfere with the high court order, directed them to surrender within two weeks and asked the trial court to expedite proceedings.
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Chargesheet And Allegations
As per the chargesheet, the accused have been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to culpable homicide not amounting to murder, acts endangering human life, negligent conduct with respect to fire and combustible matter, forgery, use of forged documents as genuine and criminal conspiracy.
The chargesheet alleged that the accused’s "irresponsible acts" led to the deaths of 25 people in the mass-casualty incident. It also alleged that the incident caused "irreparable loss" to the victims’ families.
High Court Reasoning
The initial bail decision hinged on specific legal interpretations. The trial bench viewed the offences of forgery and culpable homicide not amounting to murder as non-heinous acts that did not warrant compulsory life terms or capital punishment.
The court had also held that prolonged custody, without an early conclusion of trial, would amount to pre-trial punishment.
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