'Harassment By IT Officials': Confident Group Chairman CJ Roy Dies Amid Raids
Confident Group chairman C J Roy died by suicide in Bengaluru during an Income Tax raids.
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Confident Group chairman C J Roy died by suicide at his office in Bengaluru on 30 January 2026 while Income Tax officials were conducting searches at the premises. The incident occurred in the afternoon, and Roy was found with a gunshot wound from his licensed firearm. He was declared dead at Narayana Hospital. The Income Tax Department had been conducting raids at his properties for several days prior to the incident. Police have registered a case and initiated a detailed investigation.
According to Deccan Herald, Roy, aged 57, was found in his office near Richmond Circle, Bengaluru, after staff members heard a gunshot and rushed to his room. The Income Tax team from Kerala had been questioning him at the time, and searches had been ongoing for three days. His brother, C J Babu, stated that Roy had no debts or financial issues and attributed the incident to pressure from a central agency.
As reported by Hindustan Times, Roy’s family confirmed that the only known issue was the ongoing Income Tax matter. The family denied any threats or personal stress, and police are treating the case as a suspected suicide. Forensic teams, including the Scene of Crime Officer and Forensic Science Laboratory, are investigating. Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar has ordered a high-level probe into the circumstances of Roy’s death.
As highlighted by The News Minute, Roy’s death has drawn comparisons to the 2019 case of Café Coffee Day founder V G Siddhartha, who also died amid tax scrutiny. Roy was reportedly questioned by officials before requesting to call his mother, after which he moved to an adjoining room and shot himself. Police have sent the firearm for ballistic examination and are reviewing the licensing details. His brother stated that the pistol was legally purchased about 20 years ago for personal protection.
As noted in an article by The Hindu, Confident Group, founded by Roy in 2006, has a significant presence in Bengaluru, Kerala, and the UAE, with over 210 completed projects. Roy was credited with pioneering real estate development in Sarjapur and had diversified the group’s interests into infrastructure, retail, entertainment, and hospitality. His death coincided with the company’s 20th anniversary, impacting staff and customers across regions.
Family members alleged that Roy faced severe stress and harassment from Income Tax officials, with raids beginning in December 2025 and resuming in late January. A tax official stated that while the main raids concluded in December, a team returned in January to seal documents under a prohibitory order. The firearm used was confirmed to be licensed, and Roy’s body was sent for postmortem at Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital.
Police investigations revealed that Roy was questioned by Income Tax officials before the incident. He informed staff he would call his family, then moved to another room and shot himself. The pistol was seized, and CCTV footage is under review. Police have not ruled out the possibility of abetment and are examining all angles, including the role of tax officials present at the time.
Further details confirmed that Roy was on a different floor from the Income Tax officials when the incident occurred. The officials immediately called off operations after the shooting. Roy was known for running a zero-debt business and had interests in real estate, entertainment, aviation, and personal care. He was also active in film production and social welfare activities.
“I don’t know how the Income Tax team troubled him. They need to answer what happened that made him (Roy) take such a step. He was under pressure for the last three to four days. I was calming him down, but I did not think he would do something like this,” said C J Babu.
Police have seized Roy’s licensed pistol and mobile phones for forensic examination as part of the investigation. No suicide note was recovered, and a case of suspicious death has been registered. The postmortem was conducted at Bowring Hospital, and the body was handed over to the family for final rites. The investigation is ongoing, with authorities examining all possible factors leading to the incident.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.