'I Was Only A Partner, Don’t Know Anything Else': Detained Goa Nightclub Co-Owner Ajay Gupta

Ajay Gupta, one of the four owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa, who was detained in Delhi, has asserted that his involvement in the nightclub was limited, thus distancing himself from operational responsibilities and decisions that may have contributed to the incident.

Speaking exclusively to News18 India after his detention, Gupta said, “I was only a partner, I don’t know anything else.”

Following his detention, Ajay Gupta will be brought to Goa on Wednesday for questioning in connection with the tragic fire that claimed 25 lives at the nightclub.

Gupta’s name, along with that of the Luthra Brothers, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, appears on the nightclub’s Goods and Services Tax (GST) documents, indicating his official association

with the business.

According to police officials, a Look Out Circular (LOC) had earlier been issued against Gupta after a Goa police team failed to locate him at his Delhi residence.

“We later managed to detain him in Delhi,” a senior official told news agency PTI, adding that Gupta would be formally placed under arrest before being flown to Goa for interrogation.

Authorities stressed that his questioning is a crucial step in understanding the ownership and management structure of the nightclub and determining accountability in the wake of the December 6 tragedy.

The fire, which erupted around midnight at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, resulted in the deaths of 25 people.

The incident prompted intensified scrutiny of safety protocols at entertainment venues.

Meanwhile, the two primary owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, have fled to Phuket, Thailand, following the incident.

Interpol has issued a Blue Corner Notice against them, indicating that international law enforcement agencies are now involved in tracking their movements.

Additionally, an LOC has been issued against Surinder Kumar Khosla, a British citizen and co-owner of the nightclub, underscoring the ongoing efforts to bring all responsible parties to justice.

So far, five individuals associated with the nightclub’s operations have been arrested, including chief general manager Rajiv Modak, general manager Vivek Singh, bar manager Rajiv Singhania, gate manager Riyanshu Thakur, and employee Bharat Kohli.

Investigators have stated that the questioning of Gupta and other owners is critical to piecing together the sequence of events that led to the fire and assessing potential lapses in safety measures.

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