Panaji, May 27: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has temporarily seized assets worth ₹11.01 crore under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) 2002. This action is part of an ongoing investigation into the illegal operations of a venue named ‘Birch’ in Arpora, Goa.
The ED initiated the investigation based on FIRs filed by the Goa Police, specifically the Anjuna and Mapusa police stations, against Saurabh Luthra and others. These FIRs are linked not only to a tragic fire incident on December 6, 2025, which claimed 25 lives and injured many others, but also to crimes involving document forgery. This includes the use of fake and fabricated No Objection Certificates (NOCs) and other statutory documents to obtain regulatory approvals.
The investigation revealed that the establishment was being operated by M/s Being GS Hospitality Goa Arpora LLP without the mandatory legal approvals, including a fire NOC. Allegedly, the partners submitted forged documents, including a fake health NOC and counterfeit police clearance certificates, to obtain licenses and legitimize the illegal venue.
Further inquiries indicated that the partners colluded to continue business operations despite the absence of required licenses and their expiration. The establishment’s trade license expired on March 31, 2024, and it was not renewed, yet operations continued.
The investigation also uncovered that the establishment generated approximately ₹29.78 crore in total revenue during the period from FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-26 (up to December 6, 2025), which is recognized as ‘proceeds of crime’ under PMLA provisions.
Earlier, on January 23, 2026, searches were conducted at various premises linked to the entity, resulting in the seizure of incriminating documents and digital devices, along with the freezing of bank accounts holding approximately ₹59 lakh. A provisional attachment order (PAO) for about ₹17.45 crore had already been issued in this case. With the recent attachment and freezing actions, the total amount involved in this case has now reached approximately ₹29.05 crore.
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