Bengaluru, Jan 31 (NationPress) Karnataka's Home Minister G. Parameshwara remarked on Saturday that the police's investigation into the passing of renowned industrialist, Confident Group Founder and Chairman C.J. Roy, amidst an Income Tax (IT) Department raid in Bengaluru, will primarily consider the suicide angle.

Parameshwara clarified that the police are not currently examining allegations of pressure from IT officials as a contributing factor to his death. "As the investigation progresses, if relevant issues arise, they will be addressed," he stated.

Addressing the media after a meeting with AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge in Bengaluru, he emphasized, "As Home Minister, I want to stress that we will initially probe the suicide angle. Any other emerging issues will be evaluated later. Our focus is on the preliminary findings, which will inform our next steps," he added.

When questioned about claims that repeated IT raids might have compelled Roy to take his life, Parameshwara responded, "We have not considered that perspective. The police will investigate the circumstances, but the pressures from the IT Department are not within their current scope."

"We will wait for the investigation results. The deceased's brother has made statements suggesting that the pressure from IT officials led Roy to suicide. However, the police have not pursued this angle yet," he noted.

On details surrounding the case, Parameshwara explained, "In December, the Income Tax Department conducted a raid on his company. Within 60 days, they completed their investigation and filed a chargesheet, summoning him to finalize the matter by February 4. He had just returned from Dubai three days prior."

"The IT officers had informed him about the need to record his statements. Roy had agreed, and when the officers visited his office, he indicated he would return in ten minutes but did not appear for 20 minutes," he revealed.

"Upon breaking open the chamber door, the incident of Roy's suicide was discovered. I have instructed the police to conduct a preliminary investigation into the case's context and related matters. The facts will be revealed once the inquiry is concluded," Parameshwara stated.

A case of suspicious death has been registered at the Ashok Nagar police station regarding the suicide. Since the exact cause remains undetermined, the Ashok Nagar police have initiated an Unnatural Death Report (UDR) under Section 174C of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and are actively investigating.

Confident Group Managing Director T.A. Joseph has lodged a complaint requesting an investigation into C.J. Roy's suicide. Police noted that Joseph did not implicate Income Tax officials in his complaint. Thus, Ashok Nagar police are treating it as an unnatural death case.

According to the complaint, on January 31, around 3 PM, C.J. Roy arrived with Joseph at the Confident Group office on Langford Road in Bengaluru to provide a statement to IT officials. Following this, he entered his cabin and later indicated to Joseph that he wished to speak with his mother, prompting Joseph to step outside.

Approximately ten minutes later, upon Joseph's return, security personnel informed him that Roy had instructed that no one be allowed inside the cabin. After another ten minutes, Joseph knocked on the door, receiving no response. The door was subsequently forced open.

Inside the cabin, Roy was discovered seated in his chair, with blood on his shirt and his body cold. An ambulance was immediately summoned. Medical personnel assessed his condition and found no pulse. He was then rushed to Narayana Hospital in HSR Layout, Bengaluru, where he was admitted to emergency care.

In his complaint, Joseph has called for a comprehensive investigation to uncover what pressures may have led Roy to take such drastic action.

C.J. Babu, brother of C.J. Roy, spoke to the media on Saturday, stating that his brother had contacted him on Friday morning, expressing that he felt pressured by the Income Tax department. Roy had also inquired about Babu's return to Bengaluru.

“He did not provide specific details about the nature of the pressure, only urging me to return to Bengaluru to discuss the matter further. Beyond that, I’m not aware of much else,” Babu stated.