The sudden death by suicide of Confident Group chairman C.J. Roy during income tax raids on Friday has shocked business circles in Kerala.
His death has also put a spotlight on the last video he posted to Instagram on Monday.
"This is a great day in each one of our lives, so wishing you and your family again a very, very Happy Republic Day. Take care," he was heard saying in a short video wishing his 1.3 lakh followers on the 77th Republic Day.
The post has gone viral again since his death, garnering more than 7,300 likes. However, comments on the post have been disabled, and it is not clear if this was done before or after his death.
The 57-year-old business tycoon had reportedly shot himself in the head in front of the Income Tax Department officials questioning him, which his family has alleged was due to pressure from the officials, as per a Media One report.
#WATCH | Bengaluru | Confident Group owner CJ Roy found dead | Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Central Division, Akshay Machindra Hakay says, "The incident would have happened around 3-3.15 pm. Prima facie, it appears the death by gun shot...An investigation is underway, and… pic.twitter.com/S0RqdVM90t
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2026
The very same officials admitted him to the Narayana Hospital in Bengaluru's HSR Layout with serious head injuries. However, he is said to have died on the way. A few reports also claim that he hwas declared dead at the hospital, although THE WEEK could not independently verify this claim.
The company's legal advisor, Prakash, has also alleged that pressure from the I-T officials had driven Roy to take his own life, as per a Manorama News report.
Confident Group chairman #CJRoy had shot himself with a gun during a raid by Income Tax Department officials on January 30. #keralanews
— THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) January 30, 2026
(confident group, cj roy suicide, income tax raids, c j roy death, കോൺഫിഡന്റ് ഗ്രൂപ്പ്, സി ജെ റോയ്)https://t.co/2ImIxa6HFV
The raids on the firm's Bengaluru office, led by the I-T department's Additional Commissioner Krishna Prasad, included three days of questioning, which comes after a December 2025 raid. The family claimed that all documents requested at the time had also been provided.
Roy's body has been shifted to the Bowring Hospital for post-mortem. His family members will return tonight in time for the funeral, which will be held in Bengaluru tomorrow.
(If you are having suicidal thoughts, or are worried about a friend or need emotional support, someone is always there to listen. Call Sneha Foundation - 04424640050 (available 24x7) or iCall, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences' helpline - 02225521111, which is available Monday to Saturday from 8 AM to 10 PM.)
