Bengaluru: In a development that has stunned India’s corporate and real estate spheres, Dr. Chiriankandath Joseph Roy, popularly known as CJ Roy, founder and chairman of the Bengaluru-based Confident Group, died by suicide on Friday afternoon as tax investigators carried out searches at his office. The incident occurred during an ongoing Income-Tax Department action at the real-estate firm’s Richmond Circle premises in central Bengaluru.
According to police officials, a gunshot was heard from Roy’s private chamber inside the office. Staff members rushed to the scene and found him with grievous bullet injuries reportedly inflicted by his licensed firearm. He was immediately taken to a private hospital and later shifted to Narayana Hospital in HSR Layout, where doctors pronounced him dead. The police have treated the case as a suspected suicide; however, authorities stressed that the exact cause will be established only after the completion of the post-mortem and forensic examinations.
Early on Friday, officials from the Income-Tax Department, acting on undisclosed leads, conducted extensive searches at the corporate offices and related premises of Confident Group in Bengaluru. Although the department has not publicly detailed the scope of its inquiry, sources indicate that the action was linked to long-standing tax compliance investigations involving the company and its leadership.
Witnesses at the scene reported that investigators were present in adjoining rooms when the tragic incident unfolded. Police have sealed the office area and are continuing their evidence-gathering and documentation as part of routine investigative procedures. Senior law enforcement officers reiterated that premature conclusions should be avoided until official medical and forensic reports are available.
CJ Roy, 57, was one of the most recognized figures in South India’s real estate sector. A native of Kochi, Kerala, he founded Confident Group, which grew into a prominent real estate and infrastructure developer with ongoing projects across Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Telangana. Beyond property development, Roy also ventured into entertainment, producing films and sponsoring high-profile media properties, including regional television shows.
In recent years, Confident Group had faced legal and regulatory challenges, including tax disputes that reached appellate forums such as the Income Tax Appellate Tribunal and higher courts. These prolonged engagements with revenue authorities were reportedly a source of persistent pressure on the company leadership.
News of Roy’s death has elicited shock across industry circles and among political observers. Many have noted the broader pressures facing India’s real estate sector, which has been coping with tightening regulations, fluctuating market demand, and enhanced scrutiny by tax and enforcement agencies. Commentators have also drawn parallels with past instances where corporate leaders under legal and financial stress faced extreme personal crises.
Authorities are expected to release detailed findings once the post-mortem and allied investigations conclude. Meanwhile, the police are also examining statement records from officials present during the raid to piece together a precise timeline of events.
Confident Group’s immediate management has yet to issue an official public statement. Family representatives are expected to comment once initial legal formalities are completed. The incident has also reignited discussions on mental health support within high-pressure business environments and the need for robust mechanisms to assist executives navigating regulatory challenges subjects that have often been overshadowed by corporate narratives.
As Bengaluru and the national business community process this unexpected tragedy, official investigations will continue, with forensic and departmental findings likely to shape the broader narrative in the days ahead.