SIT begins probe into Dubai-based businessman CJ Roy’s death during I-T raid

Bengaluru: Karnataka Police have constituted a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the death of Confident Group founder and chairman C.J. Roy, who died by suicide during an Income Tax department raid last week, even as the state government cautioned against drawing premature conclusions about the cause of his death.

Karnataka Home Minister G. Parameshwara said the SIT has already begun its investigation and will examine all circumstances surrounding the incident, including allegations made by Roy’s family that pressure from tax authorities led him to take the extreme step.

“Everything will be ascertained once the probe is completed. Until then, it is too early to link the suicide to any specific reason,” Parameshwara told reporters in Bengaluru. He said police would record statements from family members and others connected to the case and assess all emerging aspects before arriving at conclusions.

The Home Minister was responding to questions about a letter written by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking a probe into the circumstances under which Roy died during the Income Tax raid. Parameshwara said the Income Tax department functions under the Union government and that any decision on a judicial or departmental inquiry would rest with the Centre.

“I am aware of the letter, though I do not know its contents. We will have to wait and see what decision the Union Finance Minister takes,” he said.

C.J. Roy, founder and chairman of the Confident Group, allegedly shot himself at his office in Bengaluru last Friday while an Income Tax raid was underway. Police said Roy was alone in his first-floor office chamber at the time of the incident. After hearing a gunshot, Income Tax officials rushed in and shifted him to hospital, where he was declared dead.

According to police, the incident occurred after Roy had been questioned for about an hour and was asked to submit additional documents. After handing over one set of records, he reportedly returned to his chamber and shot himself in the chest.

Financial stress and investigation angle

Police sources have indicated that Roy had been under severe financial stress for several months, IANS reported. Roy’s business dealings came under the scanner of central investigating agencies, with a particular focus on the source of funds used to finance large-scale projects. Police believe the combination of investor pressure and questioning by tax authorities may have contributed to intense mental stress.

The SIT is expected to examine all these factors, including procedural aspects of the Income Tax raid, financial records, and testimonies from family members, officials and associates, before submitting its findings.