The Karnataka government has constituted a special investigation team (SIT) to probe the alleged suicide of C.J. Roy, founder and chairman of real estate firm Confident Group.
The police investigation team has recovered the 56-year-old’s diary and two mobile phones from his office in Bengaluru.
DIG C. Vamsi Krishna will lead the SIT and will include Bengaluru South Division DCP Lokesh.
Roy’s family members have alleged that he decided to take his own life following intense pressure from income tax officials who had been conducting raids at the Confident Group’s office in Bengaluru.
Roy’s elder brother, C.J. Babu, told reporters in Bengaluru that he was summoned from Dubai after the incident. “Roy had told me that he was under tremendous stress. But I never anticipated that he would take such an extreme step,” Babu said.
The family has decided to hold Roy’s last rites at Nature Confident Cascade resort in Bannerghatta on Sunday.
The post-mortem revealed that Roy had apparently shot himself at close range, with the bullet piercing his heart and lungs. Police questioned Roy’s staff and family members on Saturday.
Income tax department officials in Kochi, who had conducted raids at the Confident Group’s office over the past few days, claimed that Roy was not ill-treated and that the officials were cordial throughout the procedure.
On Friday, Confident Group's managing director T.A. Joseph accompanied Roy to the company’s office on Langford Road, as officials had sought his statement. After reaching the office, Roy reportedly went into his cabin. According to Joseph, Roy wanted to speak with his mother. Police have not confirmed whether Roy talked to her.
Joseph stepped out of the cabin, and shortly afterwards, security staff informed him that Roy had instructed them not to disturb him. When they sensed something was amiss, they broke open the door and found Roy seated in his chair, with blood spattered on his shirt, after he allegedly shot himself with his licensed gun, which had a silencer.