Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking a judicial inquiry into the suicide of Confident Group chairman CJ Roy in Bengaluru during Income Tax raids. He alleged serious protocol lapses by officials. The Special Investigation Team (SIT) confirmed no suicide note was found at the scene.
On January 30, 2026, Confident Group chairman CJ Roy shot himself in the chest with a licensed pistol at his Langford Town office in Bengaluru during an ongoing Income Tax search operation. Bengaluru police stated that Roy entered an adjoining room amid the raids and was declared dead on arrival at a nearby private hospital. Roy, a Bengaluru-born Malayali industrialist and film producer, led a firm with real estate projects in Kerala, Karnataka, and the Middle East.
In a letter dated February 1, made public on Monday, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan wrote to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, describing Roy's death as a shock to the state's business community and civil society. He called the incident 'a blot on the tax administration of the country.' 'It is quite surprising that the person, in whose premises the Income Tax department was conducting a search and seizure operation, could proceed to lay hands on a loaded gun and shoot himself, when the tax department personnel were going ahead with search operations. When such operations are proceeding, the premises are to be under the control of the tax officials and the safe conduct of search is the minimum responsibility of the officials,' Vijayan stated in the letter.
Vijayan highlighted serious lapses during the raid and referenced a statement from Roy's brother CJ Babu, who alleged that Income Tax officials caused his brother 'unbearable' trouble. He urged an impartial inquiry to examine legal and administrative procedures, suggesting it be headed by a former constitutional court judge. 'It is my belief that the best option which can be exercised by the Government of India in this matter will be to order a judicial inquiry into the incident and it will be in the fitness of things that the Commission of Inquiry be headed by a person who has had experience as a judge in a constitutional court,' he wrote.
A Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Karnataka police is probing the case. A senior officer confirmed no suicide note or personal diary was found at the scene, and prima facie it appears to be suicide. 'There is talk of a nine-page suicide note and a 20-page diary, but we will recognise any document as a death note only if it is recovered from the scene or supported by electronic evidence during the probe,' the officer said. The SIT conducted an extensive search for over 48 hours, collected CCTV footage, and plans to question Roy's wife, who is familiar with his financial records.
Prior to his death, Roy had challenged the raids in Karnataka High Court on December 16, 2025, but withdrew the petition on December 18 without reasons recorded. BJP state president BY Vijayendra questioned the hasty formation of the SIT, saying, 'The constitution of an SIT in such a hurry has created suspicion about the intent of the government.'
