Goa Nightclub Fire Tragedy Probe Widens: ED Charges Owners Luthra Brothers And Ajay Gupta Under PMLA

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), on Friday, filed a money-laundering case against the Luthra brothers and Ajay Gupta, owners of Birch by Romeo Lane, and carried out raids at eight premises linked to them.The anti-money laundering probe stems from FIRs registered by the Goa Police following the tragic fire incident at Birch by Romeo Lane, owned by the Luthra brothers, on December 6, 2025. The fire claimed 25 lives and led to the registration of a criminal case by the Goa Police.Even before the state Police could summon the duo fled India. An international manhunt was launched by multiple agencies. Central intelligence agencies, with the help of the Royal Thailand Police, detained Gaurav and Saurabh Luthra in Phuket on 11th December. They were

brought to India on 17th December. All key accused are still in judicial custody.When the fire broke out, the Luthra brothers were attending a wedding in the national capital. They were informed about the incident and immediately planned their escape.Ajay Gupta (accused, arrested on Wednesday) was present in Goa when the fire broke out but was not at the site. He later took a flight on Sunday morning and left for Delhi. When the Goa Police visited his residence in Gurugram, he was not found. He subsequently got himself admitted to a hospital in Lajpat Nagar, where he was traced. These movements indicate that the accused attempted to flee and evade arrest, sources said.Probe further showed one of the Luthra brothers had a long-term UK visa; however, both brothers chose to leave India together for Thailand. Four days before the fire, the brothers and their family members had returned from Dubai, where they had gone to attend a family function."Searches are being conducted at 8–9 locations across Delhi and Goa, including premises at Outram Lanes (Kingsway Camp), Tatvam Villas, Gurugram, and others, as well as the premises of the then Sarpanch, Roshan Redkar, and the Panchayat Secretary, Raghuvir Bagkar, in Goa, who are alleged to have facilitated and issued illegal trade licences and NOCs," officials said.While carrying out the raids ED officials also covered the premises of Surinder Kumar Khosla to examine the money-laundering angle arising from the illegal conversion of khazan land (salt pan) on which Birch by Romeo Lane was situated.Sources said that while the Luthra brothers claimed to be hoteliers, a preliminary ED probe revealed they are linked to 41 companies registered at a single address. "There is a strong possibility that these companies are shell entities fronted by the Luthra brothers," sources added.