Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], January 30 (ANI): Confident Group founder and chairman CJ Roy was found dead inside his office in Bengaluru on Friday, with police stating that he allegedly died by suicide during an ongoing Income Tax search operation. The incident occurred within the limits of Ashok Nagar police station and has triggered multiple investigations, political reactions, and demands for a judicial inquiry.
According to Bengaluru City Police Commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh, Roy allegedly shot himself inside his office premises and was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors declared him dead. “The Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) team and the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) team are investigating the matter,” Singh said.
Police officials said Income Tax officials had been conducting searches at Roy’s premises for the past two to three days. A team from Kerala was also part of the search operation. Authorities confirmed that the police are in touch with Roy’s family members, some of whom were abroad at the time of the incident and travelled to Bengaluru shortly thereafter.
Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Akshay Machindra Hakay said preliminary findings suggested death due to a gunshot wound. “The incident would have happened between 3 and 3.15 pm. Prima facie, it appears to be death by gunshot. An investigation is underway, and the crime scene is being thoroughly analysed,” he said.
On Saturday, Roy’s wife Lina Roy and son Rohith Roy reached the post-mortem centre at Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru. They were accompanied by Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee President Mohammed Nalapad. Officials said post-mortem and forensic examinations are being conducted as part of standard procedure.
Roy’s brother, CJ Babu, said the only known concern his brother was facing related to the Income Tax proceedings. “Other than the Income Tax issue, he had no other problems. He had no threats or loans. That I am very sure of,” Babu told ANI. He added that he last spoke to Roy at around 10.40 am on Friday morning. “Let the truth come out. I will speak to the office staff and understand what happened,” he said.
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said a high-level investigation would be conducted into the incident. In a statement issued by his office, it was claimed that Roy had asked for a brief break during questioning by Income Tax officials. “When they were asking him many questions, he is said to have asked for five minutes, went inside and did this,” the statement said.
Shivakumar said the government would seek a detailed report and ensure transparency. “This should not have happened. He was a good businessman. Our government will uncover the truth after conducting a thorough investigation,” the statement added.
The Bengaluru Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe all aspects of the case. The SIT is headed by Joint Commissioner of Police (West Zone) C Vamshi Krishna, IPS, with Deputy Commissioner of Police (South Division) Lokesh Jagalasar, IPS, serving as the Investigating Officer. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central Division) Akshay Hake and senior officers from multiple divisions and special units are also part of the team. The SIT has been authorised to induct additional officers and resources as required.
Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said that Roy’s company had been raided by the Income Tax Department in December 2025 and was granted 60 days to file a chargesheet, with the deadline set for February 4. He said Roy had returned from Dubai three days prior to the incident and had cooperated with officials who visited his office to record his statement.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking a judicial inquiry into what he termed the “unnatural death” of industrialist CJ Roy. In his letter, Vijayan described the incident as a “blot on the country’s tax administration” and raised concerns about alleged procedural lapses during the Income Tax search.
Vijayan questioned how Roy was able to access a loaded firearm while officials were present, calling it a “serious failure of protocol.” He also referred to allegations of harassment raised by the family and stressed that only an impartial judicial inquiry led by a former constitutional court judge could uncover the full truth and prevent similar incidents in the future.
While acknowledging the ongoing police investigation and formation of the SIT, the Kerala Chief Minister urged the Centre to order a time-bound judicial inquiry to examine administrative procedures, due diligence, and the conduct of officials involved in the search.
Earlier, Gokulam Group Chairman and film producer Gokulam Gopalan expressed deep grief over Roy’s death, describing him as a close friend and a generous human being who always stood with society. Calling the incident “extremely painful,” Gopalan said Roy was a man of self-respect and feared damage to his reputation.
Further investigation into the case is underway, and officials have said all findings will be made public as the probe progresses. (ANI)
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