Goa Nightclub Fire Probe Flags Forgery, Licence Lapses; Panchayat Officials Under Scanner

A magisterial committee investigating the deadly fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Goa has uncovered serious administrative lapses, document forgery, and licensing violations, bringing local panchayat authorities under intense scrutiny. The findings relate to the tragic incident of December 6, 2025, in which 25 people lost their lives, and point towards systemic failures that allowed the establishment to operate illegally for months.

According to the committee’s report, the focus of the enquiry has been on the role of the Panchayat Secretary, Raghuvir Bagkar, whose actions and inaction are said to have contributed significantly to the circumstances that led to the disaster. The investigation found that the nightclub was permitted to function despite its trade licence having expired, a violation that should have resulted in the immediate closure of the premises.

The committee noted that the continued operation of the nightclub after the expiry of its licence posed severe risks to public safety. Instead of enforcing closure norms, the lapse was allegedly ignored, allowing large crowds to gather at a venue that did not meet mandatory regulatory requirements. This failure of enforcement has been described as a critical breakdown in the local oversight mechanism.

Further irregularities were identified in the manner in which the trade licence was originally issued. The report stated that the licence was granted within just four days of application, an unusually short period that bypassed standard verification procedures. Normally, such approvals involve detailed scrutiny of ownership documents, site inspections, and validation of supporting records. In this case, investigators found that these checks were either inadequately conducted or completely overlooked.

The committee also highlighted evidence of document forgery. It found that references to the premises operating as a bar and nightclub were allegedly added later to the submitted paperwork, raising questions about the authenticity of the documents used to secure permissions. This manipulation of records enabled the establishment to obtain approvals that it may not have been eligible for under existing rules.

Another major concern flagged in the report relates to land use permissions. The Panchayat Secretary reportedly approved land use for the nightclub based on a house number mentioned in the application. Upon verification, authorities discovered that the house number did not exist, indicating that fictitious details were used to bypass regulatory checks. Such discrepancies allowed the operators to evade scrutiny that could have otherwise prevented illegal operations.

The enquiry further revealed that nearby shops and tenements linked to the club and an adjoining resort were constructed illegally on salt pan land, which falls under protected zones governed by Coastal Regulation Zone norms. Despite these clear violations, permissions were allegedly granted, exacerbating safety risks in an ecologically sensitive area.

The report also stated that the trade licence was issued even though the operators lacked several mandatory permits and no-objection certificates. Alarmingly, even after a demolition notice was issued and the trade licence had lapsed, no action was taken for several months to seal the premises.

In view of the scale of violations and prolonged administrative negligence, the magisterial committee has recommended the dismissal of the Panchayat Secretary from service. The findings have intensified demands for accountability and raised broader questions about regulatory enforcement and local governance in Goa.