CJ Roy suicide case: Kerala CM questions how Confident Group chairman accessed loaded gun during I-T search

BENGALURU: The suicide of Confident Group chairman CJ Roy during an income tax search operation at his Bengaluru office has snowballed into a political and administrative issue, with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan seeking the Centre's intervention to uncover the truth behind the incident.

The issue of Roy's death also reverberated in Lok Sabha Monday with Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden seeking a debate on the incident and circumstances surrounding it.




Highlighting media reports, Vijayan Monday wrote to Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, demanding a judicial inquiry.

Describing the incident as a blot on the country's tax administration, the CM said it had shocked the business community and civil society in Kerala, where the Confident Group has significant business interests. "The circumstances under which Roy died during a search operation raise serious questions about the manner in which it was conducted," Vijayan said in his letter, stressing that officials are required to exercise extreme caution while initiating, conducting and concluding such intrusive actions.

Referring to media reports, the CM flagged glaring lapses during the search. "It is quite surprising that the person in whose premises the I-T department was conducting a search-and-seizure operation could gain access to a loaded firearm and shoot himself," Vijayan said. He pointed out that during such operations, the premises is expected to remain under the control of tax officials and ensuring safety is a minimum responsibility of the department.

The Kerala CM drew attention to allegations raised by Roy's brother, CJ Babu, who claimed harassment by I-T officials. Quoting Babu's statements to the media, Vijayan said while the department will have its own version, the entire episode warranted a credible examination of the legal and administrative procedures followed during searches. "The truth has to come out through an impartial and credible inquiry," he said.

Arguing that a judicial probe will be the most appropriate course, Vijayan urged the Centre to constitute a commission of inquiry headed by a senior judge even as Karnataka police continue their investigation into the incident.