Confident Group chairman CJ Roy found dead at Bengaluru office amid IT raids

Bengaluru : CJ Roy, chairman of the Bengaluru-based Confident Group and a well-known real estate entrepreneur with business interests in India and abroad, died by suicide at his office in Langford Town on Monday. Roy allegedly shot himself in the chest with his licensed revolver while officials of the Income Tax Department were present at the premises as part of an ongoing search operation.

According to preliminary information, Income Tax officials had been conducting raids at multiple locations linked to the Confident Group for the past few days, including the company’s offices and Roy’s farmhouse. A prohibitory order had reportedly been issued as part of the search proceedings. On Monday, Roy arrived at his Langford Town office, where he was questioned by IT officials for over an hour regarding the group’s financial transactions and business dealings.

Sources said Roy responded to several queries and also furnished multiple documents sought by the officials. During the questioning, officers reportedly asked for additional supporting documents related to certain answers. Roy is said to have told officials that he would retrieve the documents and went into an inner room of the office. Moments later, a gunshot was heard, triggering panic among staff and officials present at the site.

Office employees rushed to the room and found Roy with a gunshot wound to his chest. He was immediately shifted to Narayana Hospital in HSR Layout. However, doctors declared him brought dead. The body has been sent for post-mortem examination, following which it will be handed over to the family.

The shocking incident has raised several questions, especially as it occurred in the midst of a high-profile tax investigation. While officials have not officially commented on the reasons behind the extreme step, sources indicated that Roy had been under considerable stress due to the ongoing raids and scrutiny of his business transactions.

CJ Roy was considered one of the prominent figures in the real estate sector and was known for developing large residential and commercial projects. He had weathered several business challenges in the past and was regarded as a resilient entrepreneur. His sudden death has therefore sent shockwaves through business and real estate circles in Bengaluru.

Family members rushed to the hospital as news of the incident spread, with scenes of grief and anguish reported. Roy is said to have built assets worth thousands of crores over the years. His death has also drawn comparisons with the earlier suicide of Cafe Coffee Day founder VG Siddhartha, which had similarly sparked debates on pressure faced by entrepreneurs amid regulatory scrutiny.

Police have registered a case of unnatural death and are investigating the circumstances surrounding the incident. Officials said all angles will be examined to ascertain whether there were any other contributing factors behind the tragedy.