Pradeep Ghadi Amonkar, who maintains rightful ownership of the underlying land acquired in 1994, has accused authorities of clandestinely altering the property's classification from ecologically sensitive salt pan to a settlement zone without issuing any notice or obtaining his consent. This rezoning, he asserts, was executed covertly to legitimise and benefit the commercial operations of the nightclub despite protracted legal disputes.

Amonkar had executed a sale agreement with Surinder Kumar Khosla in 2004, only to revoke it months later due to non-receipt of payment; Khosla nonetheless proceeded to occupy the parcel, develop a nightclub facility, and subsequently transfer control to operators Saurabh and Gaurav Luthra. For over two decades, Amonkar has pursued litigation to reclaim the property, repeatedly flagging unauthorised constructions, including in complaints filed with local panchayats as early as 2023 alleging violations of coastal regulation norms.

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The alleged zoning modification came to light on December 11, 2025, as Amonkar prepared documentation for an impending high court intervention in the wake of the tragedy. Prior warnings, including demolition notices from the local gram panchayat and the Goa Coastal Zone Management Authority citing illegal structures on protected salt pans, had been issued but stayed following appeals, allowing operations to persist amid documented safety and environmental infractions.

A senior official from the Goa Town and Country Planning department has acknowledged an ongoing inquiry into the rezoning allegations, declining further elaboration at this stage. The incident has intensified scrutiny over regulatory lapses, with broader investigations probing fire safety compliance, land use conversions, and potential oversights that contributed to the preventable loss of life.

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