Amid ongoing investigations into the devastating fire at the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub in Arpora, North Goa, which claimed 25 lives on December 6, new allegations have emerged concerning the land on which the nightclub was constructed.
Mr. Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar, who asserts that he is the original owner of the property, has alleged that a portion of his land was illegally converted from a salt pan to a settlement zone without his knowledge or consent—allegedly to facilitate the establishment of the nightclub.
Mr. Amonkar stated that he discovered the zoning alteration on December 11, 2025, while preparing documentation to approach the High Court in connection with the tragedy. He said he has been entangled in a 21-year legal dispute with Mr. Surinder Kumar Khosla, with whom he had entered a sale agreement in 2004. The agreement was later withdrawn due to non-payment, but the land continued to be occupied, eventually leading to the establishment of the nightclub, now operated by Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra.
“For 21 years, I have been fighting in courts to reclaim my land in Arpora, which has been wrongfully occupied. Now, I have learned that the government quietly changed the zoning of my land without informing me,” Mr. Amonkar said. He added that no notice was issued to him regarding the zoning change despite the ongoing litigation. “How can a salt pan be converted into a settlement zone?” he questioned.
A senior official from the Goa Town and Country Planning Department confirmed that an official inquiry is underway into the matter and stated that it would be inappropriate to comment on the allegations at this stage.
Mr. Amonkar has urged authorities to conduct a transparent, time-bound investigation into both the zoning changes and the circumstances that allowed the nightclub to operate on disputed land. He stressed that uncovering potential administrative lapses is essential in the aftermath of the tragic fire that killed staff members and tourists.
