Bengaluru realtor found dead in office, suicide suspected

Bengaluru-based real estate tycoon, CJ Roy died by suicide on Friday by shooting himself in the head at his office while Income Tax raids were underway, the police said. He was 57. While the specific reason behind this extreme decision remains unconfirmed, according to local police, the developer had recently been undersignificant pressure as his business group faced increasing scrutiny from income tax authorities related to financial operations. He allegedly shot himself using his licensed firearm. Employees, alarmed by the sound of a gunshot, rushed to his cabin and found him gravely injured.  Police have registered the case as a suicide, though they have not disclosed whether a note was found.
"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," Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh told reporters after inspecting the spot. "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. Earlier on Thursday morning, the Income Tax Department had conducted raids on companies linked to him. During the raids, it was allegedly revealed that he possessed assets disproportionate to his known sources of income.
Confident Group, which Roy founded in 2005, has grown into one of India’s best-known real estate and infrastructure developers, with a significant footprint in Bengaluru, Kerala, and international markets such as Dubai and the Middle East. Over the past two decades, the company delivered more than 165 projects, developed over 43 million square feet of real estate, and served upwards of 15,000 customers, according to the company’s own data. Its portfolio spans residential apartments, villas, commercial complexes, mixed-use developments, and, more recently, ventures into hospitality, education, aviation, entertainment, and healthcare.
It is said that Roy was distressed due to repeated IT raids.  A native of Kerala's Kochi, Roy was known for his collection of high-end vehicles. He has also produced Malayalam films, including Mohanlal's big-budget movie Casanova in 2012. 

(State Correspondent)