NT Reporter
Panaji
The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is probing the money laundering angle linked to the illegal functioning of the Arpora-based nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane and the role of its promoters, has conducted multiple raids in Goa, Delhi and Haryana.
The nightclub has been embroiled in a controversy following a major fire tragedy in its premises in December 2025, leading to the death of 25 individuals.
Officials of ED carried out the search operations since early morning on Friday at the residential and office premises of the Luthra brothers (Saurabh and Gaurav) and Ajay Gupta, owners of the nightclub. The searches were conducted at 8-9 locations, including the premises at Outram Lanes (Kingsway Camp) in the national capital and Tatvam Villas in Gurugram, Haryana.
The officials of ED also searched the premises of the then Arpora panchayat sarpanch Roshan Redkar and the then panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar in Goa. Both are alleged to have facilitated and issued illegal trade licences and No-objection Certificates (NOCs) to the nightclub.
The ED teams also conducted searches at the premises of Surinder Kumar Khosla, who is the owner of the property on which the unauthorised structure that housed the nightclub functioned. The searches at Khosla’s premises were conducted to examine the money laundering angle arising from the illegal conversion of khazan land (salt pan) on which the nightclub was situated.
It may be noted that Anjuna police on Thursday arrested the disqualified Arpora-Nagoa panchayat sarpanch Redkar in connection with the nightclub fire case after he surrendered before the JMFC in Mapusa.
He surrendered before the court a day after the High Court of Bombay at Goa rejected his anticipatory bail application.
Anjuna police had also produced the dismissed Arpora-Nagoa panchayat secretary Bagkar before the Mapusa JMFC, which extended his police custody by seven days. Redkar was booked by Anjuna police, along with Bagkar, for allegedly facilitating licences for the nightclub.
Goa police has issued an INTERPOL Blue Corner Notice against Khosla, who is a UK national. Police said the step is being taken to ascertain his whereabouts and to secure his presence for investigation.
Anjuna police has so far arrested 11 accused, including Luthra brothers and Gupta, in connection with the nightclub fire case.
