In a significant development related to the beleaguered Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa, the Mapusa police have made a fresh arrest concerning a fraudulent excise licence. The arrest centres on the alleged forgery of a crucial health department document.
Partner Arrested for Document Forgery
On Tuesday, Mapusa police took into custody Ajay Gupta, a partner of the Birch by Romeo Lane establishment. The arrest is connected to a case of allegedly forging a health officer's No Objection Certificate (NOC), which was then used to secure an excise licence for the venue. The police had moved a transfer warrant application before the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Mapusa on Monday to obtain custody of Gupta, who was previously in judicial custody. The court granted the warrant on Tuesday.
"We have arrested Gupta," confirmed Mapusa Police Inspector Navin Desai. The fresh First Information Report (FIR) reveals detailed allegations from Dr. Roshan Nazareth, the health officer at Candolim Primary Health Centre.
Details of the Alleged Fraud
According to Dr. Nazareth's statement in the FIR, before December 13, 2025, authorised individuals associated with Birch impersonated him and forged his signature. They also made a fraudulent entry in the official register to create a forged health NOC. The nightclub is operated by Being GS Hospitality LLP, whose directors are brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra.
"This was done by the accused persons intentionally, and they prepared a no objection certificate issued by me in order to seek an excise licence," Dr. Nazareth stated. Mapusa police elaborated that the accused then knowingly presented this counterfeit NOC as genuine to the excise department. This deceptive act facilitated the documentary process for the excise licence, ultimately leading to its illicit approval, thereby cheating the government authorities.
Parallel Developments in the Fire Tragedy Case
Meanwhile, in a separate but related legal proceeding concerning the devastating fire at the same nightclub, the Sessions Court in Mapusa delivered mixed verdicts on bail applications on Tuesday. The fire on December 6 claimed 25 lives and injured many when it engulfed the venue, which was hosting over 150 tourists at the time.
The court granted bail to two accused individuals: Rajveer Singhania, the bar manager, and Priyanshu Thakur, the gate manager. However, it rejected the bail plea of the establishment's general manager, Vivek Singh. A preliminary investigation by police and the directorate of fire services had concluded that the blaze started after electric firecrackers hit the wooden ceiling during an event.
In other bail matters connected to the fire case, the Sessions Court has reserved its order for next week regarding Bharat Singh. It also postponed arguments on the bail application for Ajay Gupta in a separate case registered at Anjuna police station. Furthermore, the court will decide next week on the bail pleas of Arpora sarpanch Roshan Redkar and panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar.
The arrest for forgery adds a new layer of legal complexity to the troubles facing Birch by Romeo Lane, which is already at the centre of one of Goa's most tragic recent incidents. The cases highlight serious allegations of regulatory compliance failures preceding the fatal disaster.
