Panaji, The Bombay High Court on Monday directed Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra, owners of 'Birch by Romeo Lane' nightclub, to deposit an interim compensation of ₹20 lakh each for the families of the 25 people killed in the devastating fire at their establishment in North Goa last year.
A division bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit Jamsandekar issued the directive while hearing a petition regarding relief for the victims of the December 2025 blaze at Arpora in North Goa, clarifying that the deposit would be subject to final contentions in the main matter.
Advocate Prachi Sawant, representing the victims' families, informed the court that they had sought a compensation of ₹50 lakh each, against the ₹25 lakh offered by the nightclub owners.
"I had explained to them, but they requested that something close to ₹50 lakh could be paid," Sawant told the court.
The bench suggested that the owners deposit ₹20 lakh each as interim compensation without prejudice to their contentions in the main matter.
"Deposit the amount in the court. Their fight continues in the main matter," the judges observed, asking the parties to work out the arrangement before the next hearing.
{{/usCountry}}"Deposit the amount in the court. Their fight continues in the main matter," the judges observed, asking the parties to work out the arrangement before the next hearing.
{{/usCountry}}Sawant also informed the families of four tourists, who died in the blaze, had filed a case before a consumer court in Haryana.
She said she had not yet been able to obtain responses from all the victims' families regarding the proposed compensation.
The court asked the amicus curiae appointed in the matter to prepare a detailed list of cases pending in connection with the incident.
The bench asked the parties to discuss the proposed interim compensation and inform it of the outcome by October 21, when the matter will be taken up again.
The fire broke out on December 6, 2025, at the nightclub in Arpora village in North Goa, when it was hosting a dance party. As many as 25 people were killed, and 50 were injured in the incident.
The Luthra brothers, who had fled to Thailand after the incident, were deported from that nation on December 17 and are currently lodged in Colvale Central Jail in North Goa.
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