Panaji (Goa) [India], October 13 (ANI): The court has granted regular bail to brothers Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra in a case involving the alleged forgery of a Health Department no-objection certificate (NOC) to obtain an excise licence for the fire-ravaged ‘Birch By Romeo Lane’ nightclub.
Lead defence counsel Advocate Parag Rao said the defence had argued that the brothers had never received the NOC and, therefore, could not have forged the document.
“Our primary contention was that the Luthra brothers had never come into possession of the NOC, so there was no question of them forging it. The court appears to have accepted our arguments,” Rao said.
He added that the court had imposed conditions requiring the brothers to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh each, along with a surety of the same amount. They have also been directed not to leave the country without the court’s permission and not to influence witnesses or tamper with evidence, he said.
He said, “The court has put some conditions that they have to give a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh and a surety of the same amount. They should not leave the country without the court’s permission, and should not influence the witnesses or tamper with evidence.”
Rao further cited the brothers’ conduct during the proceedings, stating that they had complied with the directions of the courts and surrendered within the time granted by the Supreme Court.
He said the brothers were granted bail by the Sessions Court on April 1 and by the Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) court on April 8, but both orders were subsequently set aside by the High Court.
“We had also pointed out their exemplary conduct since the grant of bail in both the matters. In the Sessions Court matter, they were granted bail on 1st of April. And in the JMFC matter, they were granted bail on 8th of April. Both these bail orders were set aside by the High Court,” Rao said.
According to Rao, the Supreme Court later granted them two weeks to surrender, and they surrendered on September 14.
He said, “When the matter went to the Supreme Court, the Supreme Court granted them 2 weeks’ time to surrender. They surrendered on 14th of September. The Sessions Court, as well as the JMFC, heard the matter on a day-to-day basis and within the time granted.”
He added that both the Sessions Court and the JMFC court heard the matters on a day-to-day basis and decided them within the time granted. The High Court had requested both courts to decide the matters expeditiously, preferably within two weeks of the filing of the applications, he said.
Rao added, “They have decided the matter. The High Court had requested both courts to expeditiously decide the matter and, if possible, within two weeks from the date of filing of the application…”
The fire tragedy occurred on the night of December 6, 2025, at the nightclub in Arpora, North Goa. Twenty-five people died after a fire broke out at the premises. (ANI)
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