Goa nightclub fire: Bombay HC orders owners to deposit Rs 20 lakh each in interim relief

The Bombay High Court has directed the co-owners of the Goa nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane to deposit an interim compensation of Rs 20 lakh for each of the families of the 25 people who died in a fatal fire at the venue last December.

A division bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar issued the direction on Monday while hearing a petition seeking relief for the victims of the disaster in Arpora, North Goa. The judges made clear that the deposit would be made without prejudice to the merits of the case, ensuring immediate financial support arrives while judicial proceedings continue.

What happened in court

During the hearing, advocate Prachi Sawant, representing victims' families, told the bench that relatives had sought roughly Rs 50 lakh for each victim. The club owners had previously offered Rs 25 lakh.

"Deposit the amount in the court. Their fight continues in the main matter," the judges observed, instructing both sides to agree an operational arrangement by October 21, when the matter will be taken up again.

Sawant also informed the court that the relatives of four tourists who died in the blaze have separately approached a consumer forum in Haryana, adding that responses from several other affected families were still awaited. The High Court directed an appointed amicus curiae to compile a comprehensive list of all pending legal proceedings arising from the tragedy.

The Arpora blaze and police action

The fire broke out on the night of December 6, 2025, during an indoor pyrotechnics display at the Arpora venue. The blaze killed 25 people, including 20 kitchen staff working in the basement and five visitors, leaving more than 50 others injured.

Following the incident, club co-owners Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra fled the country to Thailand. Indian authorities secured their swift deportation on December 17, and both brothers remain in judicial custody at Colvale Central Jail in North Goa as criminal investigations proceed.

Meta commercial suit adjourned

Separately, the Bombay High Court adjourned proceedings in an unrelated commercial dispute between Mumbai-based agency Blink Digital and Meta Platforms, Inc. Justice Sandeep V Marne scheduled the matter for October 13 after Meta sought time to submit a note on its contractual arrangements. Blink Digital has claimed Rs 1,158 crore in damages over the termination of its Business Manager accounts, an action Meta attributes to alleged policy breaches.