Confident Group Chairman shoots himself during IT raid:Billionaire industrialist owned assets worth ₹9,000 crore, private jet and over 200 luxury cars

CJ Roy, Chairman of the Confident Group, died by suicide after allegedly shooting himself at the company’s office near Richmond Circle in central Bengaluru on Friday, police said. The incident reportedly took place at around 3.15 pm, while an Income Tax (IT) department search operation had been underway at the premises for the last three days. Police said that after the incident, the Income Tax officials who were present at the location left the office campus. Officials added that no IT personnel were present at the spot when police arrived and began the investigation. Bengaluru police are now expected to collect details from the Income Tax department, including the nature of the search, documents seized, and statements recorded during the operation. Roy’s body was shifted for post-mortem examination. On Saturday, his wife and son reached the post-mortem centre at Bowring Hospital in Bengaluru. Unnatural death case or abetment? Police said they are legally examining whether the case should be registered as an unnatural death or whether sections related to abetment to suicide should be invoked. The Police Commissioner said a director of Confident Group has already filed a complaint in the matter. Investigators are collecting evidence from the office premises, including CCTV footage, office records, and any possible suicide note or digital trail. Police said the matter would become clearer after examining seized records and statements of key persons. IT search underway for three days; Roy reportedly questioned daily According to police sources, a team from the Kerala Income Tax department had been conducting search proceedings at Roy’s Bengaluru office for the last three days. Roy was reportedly being questioned daily during this period. Roy’s elder brother alleged that Roy took the extreme step due to pressure from the central agency, and demanded answers from the officials involved. “He had no debt. The Income Tax officers will have to answer what happened that my brother took this step,” he alleged. The brother also claimed that an Income Tax team from Kerala had first visited Bengaluru on December 3, 2025, and stayed for a few days. The team allegedly returned on January 28, following which Roy was reportedly called from Dubai for questioning. Roy is survived by his wife Lini Roy, son Rohit, and daughter Riya. Karnataka Dy CM announces high-level inquiry Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar on Friday said that a high-level inquiry would be conducted into Roy’s death. “The truth will be found out,” he said, adding that the government would ensure a thorough probe into the circumstances leading to the incident. Known for lavish lifestyle; owned jet and luxury cars CJ Roy, originally from Kerala, had built a major business empire with operations spread across Karnataka and Dubai, according to sources close to the company. Confident Group is known as a real estate developer with projects in Kerala and Karnataka. Roy was also widely known for his luxury lifestyle. Sources said he had a net worth of around ₹9,000 crore, owned a private jet, and had a collection of over 200 luxury cars, including 12 Rolls-Royces. His collection reportedly included high-end models such as Bugatti Veyron, Ferrari, Koenigsegg Agera, McLaren, Lamborghini Huracan and Aventador. Early ambition, love for cars According to accounts shared by those close to him, Roy developed a fascination for luxury cars at an early age. It is said that when he was 13 years old, he once visited a showroom in Bengaluru to see a ‘Dolphin’ car and was allegedly shooed away by a salesman, an incident that reportedly pushed him to dream of owning the world’s most expensive cars. Roy reportedly bought his first private jet at the age of 36, without taking any bank loan. In 1994, he bought a Maruti 800 for ₹1.10 lakh, which he later sold in 1997. In 2025, he announced a reward of ₹10 lakh for anyone who could trace the same car, and later repurchased it after it was located with the help of friends. Roy also produced four Malayalam films, sources said. Investigation continues Police said the investigation is ongoing and all angles are being examined, including the sequence of events during the Income Tax search, Roy’s questioning, and whether any harassment or pressure contributed to the incident.