Karnataka Home Minister Outlines Police Approach in Confident Group Chairman's Death Case
In Bengaluru, Karnataka Home Minister G Parameshwara addressed the high-profile case involving the death of Confident Group chairman CJ Roy, stating on Saturday that state police will, for now, concentrate primarily on investigating the suicide angle. This comes amid accusations that harassment by income tax officials led to Roy's demise.
Initial Police Focus on Suicide Investigation
Parameshwara, speaking on the sidelines of a meeting with All India Congress Committee (AICC) president Mallikarjun Kharge in Bengaluru, emphasized that police are not currently probing allegations of harassment or pressure from I-T officials. "We (police) will, as of now, only probe the suicide angle and are not looking at the angle of alleged harassment or pressure from I-T officials resulting in Roy's death," he said.
However, he clarified that police have been instructed to gather details about the case's background and the circumstances leading to the incident. "But during the course of the investigation, if any issues pop up, then our police will look into them. Let us see what emerges out of the preliminary investigation and, based on those findings, further action will be planned," Parameshwara added.
Income Tax Officials' Statutory Duties and Timeline
The home minister noted that income tax officials were merely performing their statutory duties. Searches were conducted at Confident Group offices in December 2025, and as per rules, a chargesheet is scheduled to be filed by February 4, within 60 days of the investigation.
Parameshwara explained the sequence of events: "Roy, who was in Dubai, was called in to record statements, and he came down three days ago to respond to their queries. Roy agreed to cooperate with the statutory procedures and meet the officials."
Details of the Final Interaction
According to Parameshwara, Roy responded positively to the I-T officials' notice, and officials met him at his office. "During that interaction, Roy repeatedly told the officials that he would come back within 10 minutes and got into his cabin. When he did not return even after 20 minutes, they broke open the door and Roy's suicide came to light," he recounted.
Response to Allegations of Harassment
When questioned about statements from Roy's brother claiming the real estate baron was under pressure due to repeated I-T raids, Parameshwara responded, "We haven't thought of that angle, because police will look into how the incident unfolded." He also mentioned that he was unaware of the composition of the I-T team from Kerala involved in the case.
This development highlights the cautious approach by Karnataka authorities in a sensitive case that has drawn significant public and media attention, balancing statutory procedures with allegations of external pressure.
