Birch fire: Govt dismisses VP secy, disqualifies sarpanch

PANAJI
In further trouble for the suspended Secretary of the Village Panchayat of Arpora-Nagoa, Raghuvir Bagkar, the government on Wednesday dismissed the officer, holding him responsible for grave dereliction of duty that enabled the illegal operation of the ‘Birch by Romeo Lane’ bar and nightclub, where the devastating fire on December 6 claimed 25 lives.
In a separate order, the government disqualified Arpora Sarpanch Roshan Redkar with immediate effect for misuse/abuse of power in the Birch case. He has also been removed from membership of VP Arpora-Nagoa and barred from contesting or holding any panchayat office for 5 years under Section 50(5) of the Act.
Both also face possible arrest after a local court rejected their anticipatory bail applications.
In the first order issued by Director of Panchayats Mahadev Araundekar, Bagkar was removed from service with immediate effect, stating his conduct was so prejudicial to public interest that his continued retention in service was “no longer desirable”.
The dismissal order came shortly after a magisterial inquiry into the fatal fire found a series of grave irregularities and deliberate omissions by the panchayat secretary during his tenure from November 17, 2022 to July 3, 2025. The inquiry concluded that Bagkar’s actions and inaction directly facilitated the unlawful functioning of the establishment.
According to the inquiry report, the village panchayat had issued the establishment licence in December 2023 to Being GS Hospitality Goa Arpora LLP to run a bar, restaurant and nightclub, valid only till March 31, 2024. The licence was not renewed thereafter, yet the premises continued operations without any valid trade licence. Despite this, no steps were taken by the panchayat to seal the premises or inform other departments to cancel their no-objection certificates and permissions, as mandated under the Goa Panchayat Raj Act.
The inquiry further noted that Bagkar admitted he was aware that the trade licence had not been renewed but failed to inform line departments or initiate sealing of the premises. He also admitted that no action was taken even after a demolition order was issued, allowing the establishment to continue operations illegally.
Serious infirmities were also found in the processing of the trade licence application. The inquiry pointed to visible signs of forgery in the documents, absence of mandatory enclosures such as approved plans and Form I & XIV, and the allotment of a house number to premises that did not physically exist on site. The licence was processed and granted with unusual haste, within days of the application, without verification on the ground. Bagkar admitted to allotting house numbers to such structures despite knowing they were in CRZ areas.
On the demolition front, the inquiry found that although a demolition notice was issued in April 2024, the panchayat failed to act during multiple available windows, including a period of over 50 days before a stay was granted and another period in 2025 when the stay was not operative. Bagkar neither pursued the matter before the appellate authorities nor referred it to the demolition squad through the Block Development Officer.
The order records that Bagkar’s acts amounted to gross negligence, malafide intent, doubtful integrity and violation of Rule 3(1)(i), (ii) and (iii) of the Central Civil Services (Conduct) Rules, 1964, read with provisions of the Goa Panchayat Raj Act. Citing the gravity of misconduct and its direct link to the tragic loss of 25 lives, the Director of Panchayats concluded that summary dismissal was warranted in the larger public interest.