Panaji/New Delhi: The Enforcement Directorate Friday conducted raids in Goa, Delhi and Haryana after it filed a money laundering case against the owners of a Goa-based nightclub where 25 people were killed in a devastating fire in December last year, officials said
About eight-nine premises, including the offices and residential locations of brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra and co-owner Ajay Gupta located at Kingsway Camp in the national capital, Tatvam Villas in Gurugram (Haryana), apart from that of sarpanch Roshan Redkar and panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar in Goa are being searched.
Redkar and Bagkar are alleged to have facilitated and issued illegal trade licences and NOCs for the club, as per ED officials.
Agency officials are also present at the premises of Surinder Kumar Khosla, a British national believed to one of the owners of the club, to examine the money laundering angle arising from the illegal conversion of ‘khazan’ land (salt pan) on which the Birch by Romeo Lane club was located.
The action is being undertaken after the federal probe agency booked a case under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the officials said.
The fire broke out December 6, 2025 at the nightclub in Goa’s Arpora village, when it was hosting a dance party. As many as 50 people were injured in the incident.
The Luthra brothers fled the country hours after the incident and travelled to Thailand. They were later deported to India December 17 last year and are currently in the custody of Goa police.
PTI