A public interest litigation has been filed in the Goa bench of the Bombay High Court demanding a court-monitored investigation into the fire at the Birch by Romeo Lane nightclub in Arpora village, North Goa, which claimed 25 lives on December 7.

The PIL has been filed by social activist Aishwarya Salgaonkar, who alleged that the nightclub was functioning without any valid construction licence and continued operations despite multiple demolition orders issued against it.

According to the petition, the tragedy was the result of a “systematic failure” on the part of municipal, panchayat and district authorities to enforce statutory safety norms.

The PIL points to Chief Minister Pramod Sawant’s public admission that the nightclub had not complied with fire safety requirements, had con

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