log on to thegoan.net @thegoanonline FRIDAY DECEMBER 12, 2025 Facebook.com/thegoan The Goan E-Paper (Playstore/IOS) 13 pages PRICE ` 10 PANAJI MARGAO GOA VOLUME XI, NO. 175 Instagram.com/thegoanonline DE KOCK’S ROCKING KNOCK LEAVES INDIA IN T20 SHOCK RNI: GOAENG/2015/65729 Absconding Luthra brothers Court slams threat to life claim of Luthra brothers finally detained in Thailand Cites conduct, seriousness of case  PASSPORTS IMPOUNDED, VISAS CANCELLED, MOVED TO DETENTION CENTRE  LIKELY TO BE DEPORTED NEXT WEEK THE GOAN I NETWORK Page 8 Indian auto industry split over proposed mini-car category Tata Sierra: Legend reborn for a new generation IN SHORT >> Zuari twin-towers to rise by March 2031 PANAJI: Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said that the work of the proposed observatory twin-towers and restaurant atop the new Zuari Bridge will be completed by March 31, 2031.  >> See pg 3 Truck falls into gorge in Assam, 18 killed TINSUKIA: At least 18 people from Assam's Tinsukia district have been killed and three others are missing as the truck they were travelling in fell into a gorge in Arunachal Pradesh, on Thursday. The incident took place in Anjaw district in the eastern part of the hill state. Goa Police-CBI team to leave for Thailand to bring Luthras: CM Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub owners, Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, who were detained in Thailand on Thursday. ON PAGE 3 PANAJI Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra, owners of the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub and wanted in connection with the December 6 fire that killed 25 people, were detained in Thailand early Thursday, bringing an end to a five-day international pursuit that triggered high-level diplomatic coordination. Thai authorities picked up the brothers in Phuket after India’s Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) impounded their passports at the request of the Goa government. Their visas were also cancelled, paving way for their early deportation. They were moved to a Bangkok detention centre from Phuket detention facility. Sources said paperwork for their deportation has begun, GOYA NIGHTCLUB SEALED AT VAGATOR DUE TO DISCREPANCIES IN LICENSES CO-OWNER AJAY GUPTA REMANDED TO 7-DAY CUSTODY and while officials are expediting the process to conclude it on Friday, it may spill over into next week given lengthy official formalities. The brothers are likely to be deported to India on Monday or Tuesday. The accused brothers had PANAJI: Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Thursday said a joint team of Goa police and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will travel to Thailand “within short span of time” to get back Luthra brothers -- Saurabh and Gaurav -- who are currently detained by National Crime Bureau-Thailand. Addressing a press conference after chairing a high-level meeting with DGP Alok Kumar and others, Sawant maintained that Luthra brothers are owners of Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub, where a massive fire last Saturday killed 25 people. Sawant thanked the Union Ministry for Home Affairs and Ministry of External Affairs for providing all required support in fast-tracking the detention of the two accused.  >> See pg 3 been changing locations and were picked from Hotel Indigo at Patong on Thursday morning. Images shared by Thai officials showed the two ac- State in grip of real estate boom, reveals RS figures 16 REALTY, CONSTRUCTION FIRMS REGISTERED MONTHLY THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI Multiple judicial orders including striking down of amendments to the TCP laws this year may have somewhat slowed the gallop of real estate in Goa, but investor enthusiasm in the sector has not dimmed at all. Official figures tabled in the Rajya Sabha show that, on an average, 10 new real estate companies and six construction firms are being registered in the State every month -- a clear sign that business interest remains undeterred in the sector. Union Minister of State for Corporate Affairs Harsh Malhotra, responding to a joint question from Goa's lone MP in the Upper House Sadanand Shet Tanawade and others, revealed that 166 real estate and rating companies and 110 construction firms were registered in Goa over the past 16 >Continued on P7 Bhatikar resigns from MGP, sparks political ripples in Ponda THE GOAN I NETWORK nies were incorporated during this period, underscoring the State’s growing appeal as a business destination. The services sector dominated registrations, PANAJI In a dramatic turn that could reshape the political equations in Ponda, Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP) leader Ketan Bhatikar has resigned from the party along with his supporters. The move, confirmed by senior MGP leader and Power Minister Sudin Dhavalikar on Thursday, comes at a time when Goa’s political landscape is already in flux with the Zilla Panchayat elections underway and the Assembly by-poll for Ponda looming. Bhatikar’s departure is not without context. For weeks, he had been at odds with the Dhavalikar brothers, who publicly opposed his claim to contest the Ponda by-poll. Their reluctance stemmed from fears that fielding him could strain the MGP’s alliance with the BJP and jeopardise the cabinet berth. >Continued on P7 >Continued on P7 „„ODPs QUASHED: In „„SECTION 16B STRUCK DOWN: It had alJune 2025, the Bomlowed retrospecbay High Court at tive approvals Goa quashed the ODPs for JUDGEMENTS of projects. five North IMPACTING The High Court invalidated this Goa villages REAL ESTATE provision, ruling -- Calangute, that it enabled Candolim, irregular permisArpora, Nagoa, and sions Parra. The court restored the Regional Plan 2021 „„SECTION 17(2) READ as the binding planning DOWN: It gave discretionframework, citing concerns ary powers to TCP dept over illegal land converto alter zoning of private sions and high density plots. The court curtailed construction these powers months. Between April and November 2024, 725 companies were registered in Goa. The pace quickened in the following year, with 826 new firms added between April and November 2025. In total, 1,541 compa- cused owners handcuffed, holding their passports at the immigration office in Phuket. They were questioned briefly Zilla polls set to witness four-cornered showdown 94 nominations withdrawn, 226 remain in fray for 50 seats at Dec 20 polls THE GOAN I NETWORK PANAJI ith the withdrawal of 94 nomination papers on Thursday and the State Election Commission (SEC) confirming that 226 candidates remain in the fray for 25 seats apiece in the North and South Goa district level bodies, the stage is set for a high stakes contest in the December 20 Zilla Panchayat (ZP) elections. The ZP elections, the only polls apart from the Assembly fought directly on party lines in Goa, are being viewed as a crucial precursor to the 2027 W ZILLA POLLS: KEY TAKEAWAYS „„BJP–MGP alliance is on one side, while Congress– GFP, AAP, and RGP form the three Opposition camps „„111 candidates will contest 25 seats in North Goa; 115 candidates will contest 25 seats in South Goa Assembly elections. Political analysts say the outcome will serve as an early indicator of grassroots sentiment and could shape strategies for the year-long run-up to the State’s biggest „„BJP has fielded 40 candidates and allotted 3 seats to MGP; they will support suitable independents in the remaining 7 constituencies „„Among the Opposition, AAP has fielded electoral battle -- 2027 assembly elections. The electoral fight is expected to be largely four-cornered. On one side stands the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in alliance with the Mahar- the highest number—42 candidates „„Congress–GFP have put up 36 and 9 candidates respectively „„RGP has nominated 26 candidates ashtrawadi Gomantak Party (MGP). On the other, three Opposition formations are in the fray -- the Congress-Goa Forward Party (GFP) alliance, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), and the Revolutionary Goans Party (RGP). According to the final list of candidates, 111 will contest the 25 seats in North Goa, while 115 will vie for the 25 seats in South Goa. The BJP has fielded 40 candidates, leaving three seats to the MGP in their combine, and have announced that they will support suitable independents in the remaining seven constituencies. On the Opposition side, the AAP has put up 42 candidates, the highest number among all parties. The Congress-GFP combine has fielded 36 and >Continued on P7 THE GOAN I NETWORK Transit pre-arrest bail plea rejected PANAJI The Delhi court came down heavily on Birch by Romeo Lane owners Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra while dismissing their application for transit anticipatory bail, holding that their conduct, contradictions in their claims, and the gravity of the offence weighed against them. Additional Sessions Judge-2 (North) Vandana of the Rohini Courts refused to grant the relief and declined to suspend the Look Out Circular (LOC) issued against the duo, noting that 25 people had died in the fire, making the case “grave and serious”. “The applicant says there is an immediate threat to his life. However, the applicant has failed to show the basis of any such apprehension. The action taken by the investigating authority or by the Court, as per law, can’t be said to be an apprehension of threat to life. The nature of the offense, prima facie, is grave and serious in nature where 25 peo- PANAJI: In back-to-back setbacks for the Birch by Romeo Lane owners, a Delhi court on Thursday refused to grant transit anticipatory bail to brothers Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra. Additional Sessions Judge Vandana of the Rohini Courts rejected their plea, which the brothers had filed on December 10, while arguing they had not fled India but travelled to Thailand for business. During arguments, senior advocates for the brothers, alleged that the Goa government was acting out of “vengeance”.  >> See pg 3 ple have lost their lives,” the Court noted in its nine-page order. The court also dismissed health-related arguments stating that while one of the two applicants said he suffers from seizure disorder and hypertension, his counsel has himself refused it. “The counsel stated that the medical condition of the applicant is not that he can move to another country or pursue his business. Otherwise also, the medical documents are old documents, which does not reflect any serious medical condition, which may entitle the applicant to the relief prayed by him,” the Court observed. The court further mentioned that the Luthra brothers are “admittedly at present in Phuket (Thailand)” and found it unexplained why they had not approached the competent court in Goa, where the offence took place. “The conduct of the applicant… this Court finds no >Continued on P7 Goa gears up for three-phase wildlife census; eye on tigers THE GOAN I NETWORK staff is already underway, conducted by experts from the Wildlife Institute of India (WII) and the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), the nodal body overseeing the AITE. On Thursday, a session was held at Mollem, where officers and volunteers were trained by WII and NTCA-appointed Master Trainers and biologists. The AITE, launched in 2006, has completed five cycles so far — 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018 and 2022 — with Goa PANAJI Goa will undertake an extensive three month wildlife census as part of the 2026 All India Tiger Estimation (AITE) from January to March, 2026. The nationwide big cat assessment -- now in its sixth cycle -- will involve a threestage methodology combining ground surveys, satellite technology and AI-enabled camera trapping. Training for Goa’s forest participating in all of them. The most recent 2022 assessment recorded five tigers in the State. As per the schedule released for conduct of the census for Goa, during the phase I in January, the field teams will document indirect tiger evidence such as pugmarks, claw and scratch marks, scat samples and prey remains. They will also map vegetation density and note >Continued on P7 EXPERIENCE PALETTE(S) AT THE ARENA AT NAGALLI HILLS ON 12TH - 14TH DECEMBER 2025 The Moment Has Arrived! Serendipity Arts Festival Opens Its Doors Step inside our first two electrifying venues and discover what awaits. THE CAPTAIN OF PORTS JETTY, OLD GOA Barge, curated by Veerangana Solanki returns to the Captain of Ports Jetty, Old Goa, for the first time since 2017. With site-specific installations shaped by sound, space, and sensory play, the artworks invite you to explore presence, absence, and imagination through light, texture, and movement. THE ARENA AT NAGALLI HILLS GROUND The Arena opens each evening with large-stage concerts, dance productions, and performances that bring together artists from across South Asia and the world. Expect everything from classical music to indie sets, from acoustic sessions to pop and hip-hop. This venue becomes a lively meeting point for food, shopping, and late-evening hangouts. PANJIM, GOA 12-21 DEC ’25 Miramar Circle MIRAMAR BEACH CAPTAIN OF PORTS JETTY THE ARENA AT NAGALLI HILLS GROUND ges Road Dr. E Bor Free festival shuttles run all day between venues—just hop in and ride. SUPPORTED BY Download our Festival App for bookings, schedules, and easy venue navigation. OFFICIAL BEVERAGE PARTNER SUSTAINABILITY PARTNER Many venues are accessible for all visitors—and open to pets too. EXPERIENCE PARTNER AIRPORT PARTNER GIFTING PARTNER MEDIA PARTNER HOSPITALITY PARTNER