The Enforcement Directorate’s Panaji zonal office has provisionally attached immovable properties worth Rs 11 crore under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) in connection with the illegal operation of Birch by Romeo Lane at Arpora. This nightclub witnessed a devastating inferno on December 6, 2025, which claimed 25 lives and left several others injured.
Investigation Initiated
The ED initiated its investigation based on FIRs registered by Anjuna and Mapusa police against Saurabh Luthra and others under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023. The FIRs relate not only to the fire tragedy but also to offences involving forgery of documents, including fake and fabricated No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and other statutory documents used to obtain regulatory approvals.
Illegal Operations Revealed
Investigations under PMLA revealed that the establishment was being operated without mandatory statutory approvals, including a fire NOC. The partners had allegedly submitted a fake health NOC and a forged police clearance certificate to obtain licences and project the illegal establishment as legitimate, according to ED sources.
Revenue and Proceeds of Crime
The establishment’s trade licence had expired on March 31, 2024, and was never renewed, though operations continued. The ED found that the establishment generated total revenue of approximately Rs 30 crore between FY 2023-24 and FY 2025-26 (up to December 6, 2025), which has been identified as proceeds of crime under PMLA.
Previous Actions
Earlier, on January 23, 2026, searches at various premises linked to the entity resulted in the seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices, as well as the freezing of bank accounts amounting to approximately Rs 59 lakh. A provisional attachment order (PAO) of approximately Rs 17 crore was also issued previously in the case. With the latest attachment, the total attachment and freezing in the case now stands at approximately Rs 29 crore.
