Goa nightclub fire: Ex-sarpanch surrenders after dismissal of his bail plea

Panaji: A former sarpanch of Goa’s Arpora village, who occupied the post when a fire at the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ nightclub killed 25 persons last year, surrendered before a local court on Thursday.

Roshan Redkar surrendered before the Judicial Magistrate First Class in Mapusa, a day after the Goa Bench of Bombay High Court dismissed his anticipatory bail application.

The former sarpanch of Arpora-Nagoa panchayat was booked by the Anjuna police along with others, including Panchayat secretary Raghuvir Bagkar, for allegedly facilitating licences for the nightclub.

Redkar first approached the Additional District Court in Mapusa seeking pre-arrest bail, but the court rejected his plea. He then challenged the order in the high court, which also denied him relief.

The Directorate of Panchayat has already disqualified Redkar from the post of sarpanch after he was named in the FIR by the Goa police, said officials. Police have also arrested Bagkar, who is accused of colluding with the Redkar to provide licences for the nightclub that allegedly flouted many rules.

Redkar has been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 125 (endangering human lives) and 287 (negligent conduct with respect to fire or combustible matter), according to officials.

The Goa police have so far arrested nine persons, including Redkar, after 25 people lost their lives in a deadly fire at the nightclub on December 6.