Ajay Gupta, one of the co-owners of the now-infamous Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in North Goa, has been detained by Delhi Police after reportedly attempting to evade arrest by feigning a spinal injury. The move comes days after a deadly fire at the club on December 6, which claimed 25 lives and triggered widespread outrage and investigations.
Police say Gupta admitted himself to a private hospital in Delhi’s Lajpat Nagar area under the pretext of suffering from a spine-related problem, apparently in a bid to avoid detection. However, after medical clearance, officers from the city’s Crime Branch detained him from the hospital late Tuesday. Security and investigative teams had reportedly issued a Look-Out Circular against him after he went missing post-fire, prompting a multi-city search. Upon being taken into custody, Gupta declared he was “only a partner” and claimed ignorance of the nightclub’s operations or safety lapses.
Official records, however, list Gupta among the principal stakeholders in the club alongside the other co-owners, the Saurabh Luthra and Gaurav Luthra brothers — who left the country shortly after the blaze. The Luthras are currently believed to be in Thailand; authorities have issued a Blue Corner notice and launched efforts to extradite them for questioning.
Gupta is the sixth person to be formally detained in connection with the fire. Prior arrests include five senior staff members of the nightclub, covering managerial, gate and bar positions. The crackdown reflects a broader investigation into alleged safety violations, regulatory non-compliance, and possible criminal negligence in the club’s operation.
Gupta is expected to be produced before a Delhi court soon for transit remand before being taken to Goa for further custodial interrogation. Investigators are likely to examine his role in license procurement, safety infrastructure, and fire-safety protocols — critical given the scale of the tragedy.
As probes intensify, the detention of Gupta and the hunt for the other co-owners signal a concerted attempt to hold those responsible accountable. Meanwhile, authorities have begun demolishing unauthorized shacks and constructions linked to the nightclub, as part of a larger crackdown on regulatory lapses in the hospitality and nightlife sector.
