Confident Group chairman CJ Roy was found dead inside his office in Bengaluru’s Langford Town on Friday, hours after a team of Income Tax officials arrived to continue a search operation. The 57-year-old businessman sustained a gunshot injury to the chest and was declared dead on arrival at Narayana Hospital.
Police sources said the I-T team from Kochi, working along with their Bengaluru counterparts, had been carrying out searches at the Confident Group premises for the past three days.
The exercise was described as a follow-up to a larger operation conducted last month, during which officials had seized and scrutinised documents.
On Friday, I-T officers reached the office around noon. Roy arrived at approximately 2 pm. Initially informed that he could leave, he was later asked to remain back to sign and review certain papers.
According to officials, the exercise was routine. Police quoted the I-T team 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.”
Around 3 pm, Roy reportedly told officials that certain documents were kept inside his private cabin and walked in alone. Within minutes, a gunshot was heard.
According to a report by The Times of India, Roy allegedly shot himself on the left side of his chest using his pistol between 3 pm and 3.10 pm. The report said the weapon is believed to be licensed, however, this is yet to be verified.
Sequence of events and immediate response
A senior investigating officer said, “employees and officials raised an alarm, and Roy was rushed to Narayana Hospital in HSR Layout, where doctors declared him dead on arrival”.
Police said they were verifying whether the cabin was under CCTV surveillance at the time of the incident.
An aide told investigators that Roy always kept his briefcase close to him, as it contained his pistol. “On rare occasions when he left it behind, he would immediately send his bodyguards to fetch it,” the aide said.
City police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh confirmed the use of a hand-held firearm, stating, “While we know it was a hand-held weapon, its exact make and calibre need to be confirmed by the ballistics team, which is conducting its probe.”
A formal case of unnatural death has been registered on the basis of a complaint by TA Joseph, founding director and managing director of Confident Group.
An investigating officer said the complaint does not contain any allegations against the I-T officials. “We, therefore, registered a case of unnatural death. We may file a separate FIR in case if the family members make any fresh allegations,” the officer added.
Roy’s wife and two children, who live in Dubai, are expected to reach Bengaluru early Saturday. His mother resides near Koramangala, though aides said Roy usually stayed at five-star hotels in the city’s central business district during visits.
Police later disclosed key forensic observations. Investigators confirmed that Roy fired a single, close-range bullet into the left side of his chest using his right hand.
The pistol was placed extremely close to the body, indicating a point-blank discharge.
Officials said the bullet entered through the chest, travelled through the body and lodged in the back. Only one round was fired, and no additional spent cartridges or discharge marks were found at the scene.
Investigators also confirmed that Roy used a licensed NP Bore 0.25 pistol. The weapon has been seized and sent to the Forensic Science Laboratory for further examination. Police said the FSL report will help establish technical and ballistic details.
Meanwhile, Roy’s brother, CJ Babu, alleged that pressure from I-T officials contributed to the death.
He told reporters that officials from Kerala had been conducting searches in Bengaluru for several days and claimed the team was “solely responsible” for what happened.
A close associate expressed shock at the incident, saying, “In all these years of working with Roy, he never came across as weak-hearted. His death comes as a shock.”
Police said the investigation is continuing on multiple technical fronts, and further clarity is expected once forensic reports are received.
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