CJ Roy Suicide: IT Probe, Withdrawn Plea & Final Days

Bengaluru Businessman’s Suicide Followed Tax Dispute, Abrupt Plea Withdrawal

Bengaluru real estate tycoon C.J. Roy, 57, died by suicide on January 30th, a death that followed a complex series of events including a petition to the Karnataka High Court challenging Income Tax (I-T) department proceedings, a subsequent and swift withdrawal of that petition, and ongoing investigations by tax authorities.

Roy had approached the Karnataka High Court on December 16, 2025, seeking to halt tax evasion proceedings initiated by the I-T department in Kerala. The petition contested a search and seizure operation conducted on December 3, 2025, at his Bengaluru office and other properties, arguing it was “illegal, arbitrary and without jurisdiction.” However, just two days later, on December 18th, Roy withdrew the plea, with his counsel seeking the liberty to challenge the matter again at a later date.

No explanation was given at the time for the withdrawal, and advocate Mahesh Choudhary, representing the Confident Group, did not comment on the reasons behind the decision. No subsequent plea was filed.

The I-T department, according to Additional Solicitor General of India Arvind Kamath, had uncovered evidence of “undisclosed income” linked to Roy, prompting the investigation. Roy’s business interests spanned Karnataka, Kerala, and the United Arab Emirates.

Roy’s brother, C.J. Babu, stated that I-T officials had been investigating at Roy’s office for three days beginning January 28th, but he lacked specific details about the investigation. He also indicated that Roy had no known threats or loans, beyond the Income Tax issue.

The Confident Group had previously experienced I-T proceedings, securing a favorable order from the Karnataka High Court in a tax evasion case in 2016.

Recent I-T Proceedings and Roy’s Response

The latest I-T proceedings began with a search on December 3, 2025, targeting the Confident Group’s Bengaluru headquarters, where Roy’s office is located, and the residence of Joju Kochappan, a director in the firm and a close associate of Roy. Roy was reportedly in Dubai at the time of the search.

The search, authorized by the Principal Director of Investigation in Kochi, reportedly revealed violations of the I-T Act and the Black Money Act. Documents related to land purchases around Bengaluru, along with computer servers, mobile phones, and email accounts, were seized.

The I-T department’s Karnataka and Goa region office declined to comment officially, referring inquiries to the Kochi unit.

The search warrant reportedly authorized searches of multiple entities, including firms linked to Roy’s brother, Babu, and other long-term associates. Cash totaling over Rs 38 lakh was recovered from Kochappan’s residence, although this was not explicitly part of the original search warrant, but was conducted based on Kochappan’s association with Roy.

In the withdrawn High Court petition, the Confident Group questioned the selective nature of the I-T searches, arguing that the warrant covered multiple assessees and premises, including those of individuals not specifically named.

Following the December searches, the I-T department summoned Roy. He initially responded with a letter on December 8th, claiming the summons was illegal and citing his status as the Honorary Consul of Slovakia, asserting diplomatic immunity under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. He requested time until December 11th to discuss the case with I-T officials in Kerala.

After withdrawing the High Court petition, Roy reportedly met with I-T officials.

Financials and Final Days

The Confident Group’s financials for the 2023-24 financial year, filed with the registrar of companies, indicated a healthy financial position. Confident Projects (India) Pvt Ltd reported revenue of Rs 81 crore and a net profit of Rs 2.31 crore, compared to Rs 62 crore and Rs 1.9 crore in the previous year. Consolidated revenue was Rs 152 crore, with a net profit of Rs 4.8 crore.

The firm received an unsecured loan of Rs 127 crore from a related party in 2024, compared to Rs 60 crore in 2023. Foreign exchange outflows decreased from Rs 85 crore in 2023 to Rs 6.6 crore in 2024.

Confident Projects – Residential, a Kerala-based partnership firm, was reportedly the largest revenue generator within the group, with GST filings exceeding Rs 200 crore in 2023-24.

Roy died at his Bengaluru office on January 30th. According to a complaint filed by Confident Group managing director Joseph T.A., Roy arrived at the office with him to provide a statement to the I-T Department. He went to his cabin and, after a period of time, requested to speak with his mother. When Joseph T.A. Returned to the cabin after approximately ten minutes, he found Roy unresponsive with a gunshot wound to his chest.

The post-mortem examination revealed that Roy shot himself with a small, foreign-made firearm at close range. Preliminary forensic analysis ruled out foul play.

SIT Investigation and Emerging Details

The Karnataka government constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT), led by Joint Commissioner of Police (West) Vamsi Krishna, to investigate the circumstances surrounding Roy’s death. The SIT discovered nine pages of handwritten notes in red ink at the scene, reportedly detailing the growth of the Confident Group but not explicitly assigning blame for Roy’s death. The authenticity of the notes was initially questioned due to a delay in their handover to police.

The SIT also learned that Roy had consulted a psychiatrist at a hospital in South Bengaluru a few days before his death, but this was a walk-in consultation, not a scheduled appointment.

The SIT has questioned numerous individuals, including Confident Group staff and Joseph T.A., who was questioned for an entire day on February 4th. Family members, including Roy’s brother, C.J. Babu, have not yet been interviewed, as they requested time to grieve.

According to sources within the SIT, there is currently no evidence to suggest abetment to suicide. The investigation is focused on understanding Roy’s state of mind and the circumstances leading up to his death. Roy and his brother reportedly had a strained relationship for several years, but had recently reconciled.

The SIT investigation is ongoing, and a preliminary report outlining the “circumstances of the death” is expected to be submitted in the coming days.