Bengaluru real estate tycoon shoots self, dies during IT raid
CJ Roy, founder and chairman of real estate firm Confident Group, shot himself dead on Friday afternoon, Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh said.
He added that I-T searches had been underway here for the past three days.
Roy, who is in his late 50s, suffered bullet injuries from his licensed firearm at his office near Richmond Circle in the city. Soon after a gunshot was heard, staff members rushed to his room and found him lying in a pool of blood, sources said.
He was immediately taken to a hospital, where doctors declared him dead. I-T sources said searches on Roy's premises had begun about two months ago.
“Today, under the Ashoka Nagar police station limits, a shooting incident occurred. Prima facie, it appears that the Confident Group chairperson and founder, C J Roy, shot himself dead. His body is at Narayana Hospital in HSR Layout,” Singh told reporters after inspecting the spot. The commissioner said the incident occurred between 3 pm and 3.30 pm. Confident Group's director had filed a complaint, based on which the police registered a case.
“According to our initial reports, the searches have been ongoing for the past three days. The I-T team was questioning him even today. Only investigation will reveal what actually happened,” Singh said.
When asked whether the case could be treated as abetment to suicide, he said the investigation will proceed based on the complaint.
Singh added that the searches were led by an I-T team from Kerala, and the police are yet to speak with them.
“Presently, none of the I-T officers are here. We will speak to them,” he said.
On inquiries about the nature of the investigation, Singh said the police had no information about the specific proceedings and added that forensic, ballistic, and crime teams had inspected the spot.
He also said there were no confirmed eyewitnesses so far.
In a message posted on its Facebook page, the company paid tribute to its chairman, calling him its “beloved leader”.
“Our beloved leader has departed from us, but not from the path he showed us. The values he lived by and the vision he entrusted to us will continue to guide our journey forward,” it said, adding that the entire Confident Group family mourns the “sudden and irreparable loss” of its chairman.
Family members of Roy have been informed and are expected to arrive here tonight.
Meanwhile, talking to a Malayalam news channel over the phone, Roy's brother alleged that he might have taken an extreme step due to pressure from a central agency.
“I don't know how the Income Tax team troubled him. They need to answer what happened that made him (Roy) take such a step. He was under pressure for the last three to four days. I was calming him down, but I did not think he would do something like this.
“I do not know what pressure they exerted on him, but I have lost my younger brother,” he said.
The brother said Roy had no financial problems and had a very good bank balance. “He has zero debt,” he said.
He added that the Income Tax team from Kerala first came on December 3, 2025, and stayed in Bengaluru for a few days.
They then came again on January 28 after calling him back from Dubai.
“He (Roy) called me this morning at around 10—11 am and asked when I would return. I told him I would be back by Saturday evening,” he said.
Roy, originally from Kerala, was known for his collection of high-end vehicles. However, his first love remained his Maruti-800, which he had purchased in his early years. Sources said he often said the car kept him grounded.
Roy was also known for his philanthropy. At a real estate exhibition a few years ago, he announced that he would gift flats to winners from underprivileged backgrounds, sources added.
In addition, he had produced four Malayalam films.
Under Roy's leadership, the Confident Group emerged as one of the leading real estate developers in Kerala and Bengaluru.
According to the company's website, the group has completed several projects across Kerala and Karnataka and consistently ranks among the region's top developers.
The death of Roy has sent shockwaves through the real estate community and among thousands of customers of the Confident Group.
Several prominent figures paid tribute to him on social media.
Well-known chef and entrepreneur Suresh Pillai described Roy as a mentor. “Still hard to believe. A great mentor to me. Rest in peace, Roy sir,” Pillai wrote.
Businessman Gokulam Gopalan recalled Roy as a man of integrity and generosity.
“In business, he was a decent person who kept his word. His passing is deeply felt, especially among Malayalis settled in other states and abroad,” Gopalan told reporters.
