Winning Bizness Desk
Mumbai.The chairman of Confident Group, CJ Roy, shot himself dead on Friday afternoon inside his company office near Richmond Circle in central Bengaluru, triggering shockwaves across the business and political circles. According to police, the incident took place around 3.15 pm while an income tax search operation had been underway for the past three days. After the suicide, IT officials reportedly left the premises midway through the process. Roy, a high-profile real estate developer with operations spread across Karnataka, Kerala and Dubai, was known for his extraordinary wealth, flamboyant lifestyle and a net worth estimated at around Rs 9,000 crore.
Net worth, business spread and luxury assets
Roy, originally from Kerala, headed Confident Group, a major real estate developer in Kerala and Karnataka. He owned a private jet, a helicopter and more than 200 luxury cars, including at least 12 Rolls-Royce vehicles. His business interests extended to Dubai as well, making him a prominent name among South Indian developers with international reach. Police confirmed that no income tax officer was present inside the office at the exact time of the incident. Bengaluru Police said they would seek details from the IT department as part of the investigation.
Family presence and immediate police response
After the incident, Roy’s wife Lini Roy and son Rohit reached the Bowering Hospital post-mortem centre on Saturday. Police teams secured the office campus and began collecting evidence, including documents, digital records and CCTV footage. Statements of staff members and company directors are also being recorded to reconstruct the sequence of events leading up to the suicide.
Probe into abetment angle and legal sections
Police officials said the case is being examined to determine whether it should be registered as an unnatural death or if sections related to abetment to suicide are applicable. The city police commissioner confirmed that a director of Confident Group has already filed a formal complaint. Investigators are scrutinising records and testimonies to assess whether external pressure or coercion played any role.
Political reaction and high-level inquiry assurance
Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar said on Friday that a high-level inquiry would be conducted to uncover the truth behind CJ Roy’s death. He added that all aspects, including the circumstances of the IT search and the mental state of the businessman, would be examined thoroughly to ensure accountability and transparency.
Three days of questioning and family allegations
A Kerala-based income tax team had been conducting searches at Roy’s office for three consecutive days, questioning him daily. Roy’s elder brother alleged that sustained pressure from central agencies pushed him to take the extreme step. He claimed Roy had no outstanding debts and questioned what transpired during the questioning that led to the suicide. According to the family, the IT team had first visited on December 3, 2025, stayed in Bengaluru for a few days, and returned again on January 28, calling Roy back from Dubai.
Key details highlighted by family and police include:
- Roy had no financial liabilities, according to his brother
- IT searches were conducted in two separate phases
- Roy was called back from Dubai for questioning
- Family demanded answers from income tax officials
From humble dreams to extraordinary wealth
Roy often spoke about his fascination with cars since childhood. At 13, he was once shooed away from a Bengaluru showroom, an incident that motivated him to own the world’s most expensive cars. He bought his first private jet at 36 without taking any loan. His first car, a Maruti 800 bought in 1994 for Rs 1.10 lakh, was sold in 1997. In 2025, he announced a Rs 10 lakh reward to trace that car and bought it back.
His prized collection included:
- 12 Rolls-Royce cars
- Bugatti Veyron
- Ferrari and McLaren models
- Lamborghini Huracan and Aventador
- Koenigsegg Agera
Roy often said cars were a passion, but land was real wealth, noting that the price of his first car in 1994 equalled two acres of land now worth over Rs 20 crore.
