Goa nightclub fire: Who is Ajay Gupta? Co-owner of ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ club where 25 died; says he was ‘silent partner’, had no role in…

Goa nightclub fire: Ajay Gupta, the co-owner of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub where 25 people died in a massive blaze last week, was on Thursday remanded to 7-day police custody by a court in Goa.

Who is Ajay Gupta?

Ajay Gupta is reportedly the co-owner of the fire-ravaged Goa nightclub ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’, though he has claimed that he was a ‘silent partner’ and an investor in the enterprise run by the Luthra brothers– Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra– who fled to Thailand after the fire accident to escape legal repercussions, but have been detained there.

Goa Police had issued a Look Out Circular (LOC) had been issued against Ajay Gupta, and he was arrested in Delhi on Wednesday, following which he was brought to Goa late in the evening on a transit remand for questioning.

Officials said Ajay Gupta was taken to Anjuna police station for further investigation, and on Thursday, produced before a court in Mapusa town, 9 km from Panaji, which remanded him to police

‘Had no role in operations’

Talking to reporters while being escorted into a police vehicle, Ajay Gupta claimed he was a silent partner in the club, and had no role in the deadly fire that killed 25 people on early December 6 morning. “I don’t know anything. I have no involvement. I was a sleeping partner and had no say in the operations of the club,” Gupta claimed.

Gupta’s lawyer, Rohan Desai, said the Goa police had sought his client’s custody for ten days, but the court granted only seven days, adding that his client is “completely cooperating with the investigating agency”.

How Goa fire tragedy unfolded?

A massive fire ripped through the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub at Arpora in North Goa in the early hours of December 6, leaving 25 people dead, including 20 staffers and five tourists.

Brothers and co-owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who had left for Phuket in Thailand shortly after the fire incident, have been detained there, according to officials. An Interpol Blue Corner Notice had been issued against them.