Goa nightclub Fire: Bombay High Court orders owners to pay ₹20 lakh to kin of each victim

The Bombay High Court at Goa on November 2 directed the management of the Arpora nightclub Birch by Romeo Lane to deposit an additional ex gratia compensation of ₹20 lakh for each victim of the December 2025 fire tragedy that claimed 25 lives. [High Court on its own v. State of Goa & Ors.]

The deposit should be made in favour of the families of 20 employees who died in the club’s underground kitchen and the five tourists killed in the blaze. The payments will be in addition to the amount of ₹2 lakh already disbursed on an ad hoc basis.

A division bench of Justices Valmiki Menezes and Amit S Jamsandekar accepted the management’s schedule to deposit the ₹20 lakh per victim in three instalments: ₹5 lakh by November 16; ₹5 lakh by December 7; and ₹10 lakh by February 7, 2027. 

The bench ordered that the ex gratia amount will not be refunded under any circumstances, even if final awards determined by consumer forums or under the Workmen’s Compensation Act specify a lower amount. 

Legal aid counsel appearing for the victims had sought compensation of at least ₹50 lakh per family.

The order was passed on suo motu proceedings initiated by the Court after inquiries revealed that the establishment operated out of an unauthorised structure lacking mandatory building licenses, town planning clearance, and fire safety approvals. 

The bench held that the disaster reflected a severe violation of the workers' fundamental rights. It emphasised that the Goa government cannot evade responsibility and share liability with the club’s owners.

The Bench also directed all village panchayats in Goa to submit affidavits detailing building permissions, trade licenses and no-objection certificates issued over the past five years. 

The case is listed for hearing next on December 2.

[Read Order]