Goa Nightclub Fire: Owner Granted Bail Amidst Investigation

Ajay Gupta, a co-owner of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub in Goa, has been granted bail following a devastating fire that killed 25 people, raising questions about accountability and safety regulations.

Photograph: ANI Photo

Key Points

Ajay Gupta, co-owner of 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, has been granted bail in connection with the deadly Goa fire.
The court cited a lack of specific evidence against Gupta in the police chargesheet.
Gupta's bail conditions include surrendering his passport and not leaving the country without permission.
The devastating fire at the Arpora nightclub resulted in the deaths of 25 people, leading to multiple arrests.

A court in Goa on Monday granted bail to Ajay Gupta, one of the owners of the 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, where a devastating fire killed 25 people in December last year, his lawyer said.

The district court at Mapusa in North Goa granted bail to Gupta, who was arrested from New Delhi more than three months ago.

Advocate Rohan Desai, representing the accused, told the court during arguments that there was no evidence against Gupta in the chargesheet filed by police in the case.

The voluminous chargesheet does not specify any role of Gupta in the tragedy, said Desai, adding allegations of forging documents levelled against his client were also unfounded.

Desai said they were yet to get a detailed bail order, but the Judge released Gupta on a surety of Rs 50,000 and imposed several conditions, including that he shall not leave the country without the court's permission and surrender his passport before it.

The court also asked Gupta not to temper with evidence while on bail, said the advocate.

Background of the Goa Nightclub Fire

Twenty-five people -- 20 staff members and five tourists -- were killed in the major blaze at the nightclub at Arpora village in North Goa around midnight on December 6. After the tragedy, police had arrested 13 people, including the nightclub's owners.

On February 27, police filed a 4,150-page chargesheet in connection with the fire against 13 accused, including the owners, Saurabh Luthra, Gaurav Luthra and Gupta. Statements of more than 300 witnesses were recorded by police.

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