The death of Confident Group chairman CJ Roy, who allegedly died by suicide during an Income Tax (I-T) Department raid in Bengaluru on January 30, has revived comparisons with the 2019 case of Café Coffee Day (CCD) founder VG Siddhartha, another Karnataka-based entrepreneur who had come under sustained tax scrutiny before his death.
Roy, founder and chairman of the Dubai-based Confident Group, was in Bengaluru on a business visit when I-T officials launched raids on the Group’s offices. The searches began on Wednesday and continued into Friday. Roy arrived at the Langford Town office on Friday afternoon and it was while the raid was still under way that he allegedly shot himself.
It remains unclear whether Roy had been formally summoned by the I-T team. His brother, Babu CJ, told reporters he had spoken to Roy around 11 am on Friday and that “he sounded normal”. According to police, preliminary findings suggest that Roy was questioned by I-T officials in the afternoon. He reportedly sought permission to make a phone call to his mother, who lives in Koramangala, where he was constructing a bungalow.
Roy then stepped into an adjoining room, the space he used while functioning as Honorary Consul for the Slovak Republic for Karnataka and Kerala. Minutes later, staff members heard a gunshot. Roy was found lying in a pool of blood, having allegedly shot himself in the chest with a pistol. Police said the firearm will undergo ballistic examination to determine the number of rounds fired and verify licensing details. However, his brother maintained that Roy had legally purchased the pistol about 20 years ago for personal protection.
Roy’s death comes nearly five years after the high-profile demise of VG Siddhartha, whose body was recovered on July 31, 2019, near Hoige Bazar in Mangaluru after a massive two-day search operation involving over 100 firefighters, 100 police personnel, 50 divers, 50 fishermen and 30 boats.
Siddhartha, the son-in-law of former Karnataka Chief Minister SM Krishna, had gone missing on July 29 after stopping near the Nethravathi bridge, telling his driver he was stepping out for a walk. When he failed to return, the driver alerted his family and police.
A fisherman’s tip-off about seeing a man fall from the bridge helped narrow the search. Police identified Siddhartha’s body using clothing and physical features.
Siddhartha had faced multiple I-T raids in 2018 and 2019. A letter dated July 27, purportedly written by him to the CCD Board and employees, surfaced after his disappearance. In it, he said he had “failed as an entrepreneur” and spoke of immense pressure from lenders and a private equity partner.
The letter also alleged harassment by a former Director General of Income Tax, saying repeated attachment of shares had caused a “serious liquidity crunch”. The I-T Department later stated that the signature on the letter did not match official records.
In 2019, the Congress, then in Opposition in Karnataka, accused the BJP-led Union of creating an environment of “tax terror”, arguing that aggressive enforcement actions were hurting the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Siddhartha, the son of a coffee estate owner, founded Cafe Coffee Day in 1996 and expanded it into a chain of more than 1,500 outlets across India and overseas. By 2019, his net worth was estimated at over USD 1.15 billion, with significant holdings in technology and hospitality companies, including a major stake in Mindtree until its sale to L&T.
If you are aware of anyone facing mental health issues or feeling suicidal, please provide help. Here are some helpline numbers of suicide prevention organisations that can offer emotional support to individuals and families.
Tamil Nadu:
State health department's suicide helpline: 104
Sneha Suicide Prevention Centre - 044-24640050 (listed as the sole suicide prevention helpline in Tamil Nadu)
Andhra Pradesh:
Life Suicide Prevention: 78930 78930
Roshni: 9166202000, 9127848584
Karnataka:
Sahai (24-hour): 080 65000111, 080 65000222
Kerala:
Maithri: 0484 2540530
Chaithram: 0484 2361161
Both are 24-hour helpline numbers.
Telangana:
State government's suicide prevention (tollfree): 104
Roshni: 040 66202000, 6620200
SEVA: 09441778290, 040 27504682 (between 9 am and 7 pm)
Aasara offers support to individuals and families during an emotional crisis, for those dealing with mental health issues and suicidal ideation, and to those undergoing trauma after the suicide of a loved one.
24x7 Helpline: 9820466726
Click here for working helplines across India.