C J Roy, chairman of the Confident Group, died by suicide at his Bengaluru office on January 30, 2026, at the time when Income Tax officials were conducting raids at the property. He was 57.
Police say Roy shot himself inside his private cabin at the company’s Langford Town office in Bengaluru.The case is being investigated as an unnatural death, and authorities say it is too early to link the suicide to any single cause. Here is a look at what happened in the claim so far:
What police say happened
According to Bengaluru police, Roy arrived at his office between 2 and 3 pm on January 30. Income Tax (IT) officialswere already present for final scrutiny of documents seized during earlier raids.
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Police say Roy briefly interacted with officials, entered his cabin around 3 pm, and shot himself between 3:00 and 3:10 pm.
A licensed pistol and a live cartridge were found under a chair inside the cabin. There were no signs of forced entry or the presence of outsiders.
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The police have registered an FIR and are treating the case as an unnatural death. Initial findings point to suicide.
Post-mortem findings
Hospital and post-mortem reports confirmed that Roy died from a single self-inflicted gunshot wound. The bullet, a 6.35 mm round, entered his left chest, pierced the heart and lungs, and lodged near the back, causing near-instant death.
Brother alleges mental pressure
Roy’s brother has alleged that he was under extreme mental stress following the Income Tax raids conducted at his companies earlier in the day. Speaking to a Malayalam news channel, the brother questioned the conduct of officials and demanded accountability.
“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.”
Claims about a suicide note dismissed so far
There have been rumours that Roy left behind a nine-page death note or a 20-page diary explaining the reasons for his death. However, a senior Special Investigation Team (SIT) officer rejected these claims, saying no such document has been recovered so far.
“There are rumours about a nine-page death note and a 20-page diary. We will treat it as a death note only if it is found at the spot or if any electronic evidence is recovered during the investigation. If anyone makes unsubstantiated claims about claims about such documents, we will not consider them.” Police say a detailed search of the cabin did not yield any suicide note or diary.
What police say about the IT raid
Police have clarified that the Income Tax team was not interrogating Roy at the time of the incident. According to officers, officials were only conducting document verification to lift prohibitory orders issued earlier.
Police quoted IT officials as saying, “Roy was not restricted from doing his regular work today, as we were only conducting scrutiny to lift prohibitory orders against his firm.” They also said Roy’s mobile phone and briefcase were not seized and that officials were unaware he was carrying a licensed firearm.
Evidence and investigation gaps
Investigators said CCTV cameras inside Roy’s cabin were either non-functional or did not fully capture events inside, forcing them to rely on witness statements and timelines.
The SIT is examining discrepancies in accounts given by staff and family members, including the exact time Roy entered the cabin and when the door was opened after the gunshot.
Family members, including Roy’s wife, will be questioned to understand financial and personal circumstances.
Political reactions and demand for enquiry
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Union Finance and Corporate Affairs Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking a judicial enquiry into the incident. In his letter, Vijayan described Roy’s death as an unnatural death that occurred during an Income Tax raid and called for greater clarity.
Karnataka Home Minister urges caution
Responding to allegations that pressure from the Income Tax department led to Roy’s suicide, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara said it was too early to draw conclusions.
Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru, he said, “Everything will be ascertained once the probe is completed. Until then, we cannot arrive at any conclusion. It cannot be said at this stage that the suicide occurred due to a particular reason.”
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