C J Roy, founder and chairman of the Dubai based Confident Group, passed away on Friday at Bengaluru at the time the Income Tax Department was searching his office, police said. The event has caused jolts to the business circles in Karnataka and Kerala.
According to the authorities, Income Tax teams had been searching the group since January 28. Roy reached his office in Langford Town in the afternoon of January 30 when the proceedings were still in progress. Investigators are trying to find out the precise order of events that ensued.
Roy, according to a senior police officer who was part of the enquiry, was questioned throughout the afternoon. Later he walked into another room in the office. Several minutes later, employees complained that they could hear a loud sound. Roy was taken to a hospital in HSR Layout, a private hospital, where he was pronounced dead, being in a critical state.
A case has been registered and an enquiry has been initiated by police. A firearm was found at the location and will be forwarded to forensic and ballistic tests, authorities claimed. They are also checking the licensing and other legal issues regarding the weapon.
According to the authorities, the clarity will be highlighted following thorough forensic reports and accounts of the individuals who were present in the office.
It is yet not officially confirmed whether Roy had been formally summoned by the Income Tax Department on Friday or whether he had visited the office of his own volition. The department is yet to issue an official statement on the issue.
His brother, Babu C J, informed the reporters that he had called Roy around 11 am on Friday and that he sounded normal during the conversation. According to him, the family had been in a state of stress because of the constant tax searches.
He further stated that the officials had already been to his home earlier in the week to get some documents concerning the business.
To the best of my knowledge, there were no significant issues in the business. The raids caused much pressure. I do not know what it was afterwards talked over in the office,” he said.
Roy was a renowned businessman who had business interests in real estate, hospitality and other fields. Confident Group was one of the pioneering developers to invest in the areas of Bengaluru including Sarjapur and has over the years diversified to other towns and nations.
People close to his work also maintained that he had worked in an honorary diplomatic capacity with the Slovak Republic.
The news was shocking to political leaders and business community members. A Congress leader, Mohammed Nalpad, who has gone to visit the hospital, termed Roy as an inspirational personality and that his demise was very sad. Roy leaves behind two children who will come to Bengaluru soon and are based in Dubai and his wife.
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The police reported that they are communicating with family members, employees and officials who were at the time of search so as to reconstruct what happened. They have advised the citizenry and the media not to speculate until the investigation is over.
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