Confident Group chief CJ Roy found dead in his Bengaluru office

Confident Group Chairman CJ Roy has died by suicide by shooting himself at his Bengaluru office while Income Tax raids were underway, the police said. He was 57. Earlier on Thursday morning, the Income Tax Department had conducted raids on companies linked to him. As per reports, during the raids, it was allegedly revealed that he possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.

A prominent real estate developer, the Confident Group has a significant presence across several southern Indian states, most notably Kerala and Karnataka.

According to police, the businessman allegedly shot himself in the head following the IT action. 

According to sources, Roy was distressed due to repeated IT raids. 

A native of Kerala's Kochi, CJ Roy has also produced Malayalam films, including Mohanlal's big-budget movie Casanova (2012). The real estate Group was also the title sponsor for a few seasons of the Malayalam TV reality show Bigg Boss Malayalam, hosted by Mohanlal.

Income Tax raids were under way against the group in multiple locations in Bengaluru on Friday, when Mr. Roy allegedly ended his life.

Bengaluru City Police confirmed that raids were under way against the firm, but said it was too early to conclude whether this was the reason why the group’s chairman took the extreme step. There is no clarity whether IT sleuths were on the Langford Town premises where Mr. Roy allegedly shot himself.

The Confident Group was raided multiple times by the Income Tax Department earlier. It was facing several cases of tax evasion and was engaged in a long-drawn legal battle against the IT Department in the Appellate Tribunal and the High Court of Karnataka, sources said.

Confident Group is regarded as a prominent name in India’s real estate sector. Roy had cultivated a public persona as an approachable entrepreneur, frequently sharing his personal and professional journey with young audiences through public platforms and television shows, and remained highly active on social media.

Founded nearly two decades ago, the Confident Group has evolved into a diversified conglomerate with business interests spanning India, the UAE and the US. The company has delivered several marquee real estate projects across Bengaluru, Kerala and Dubai.