Days after realtor and businessman CJ Roy was found dead in his Bengaluru office, questions persist regarding the circumstances that led him to take such an extreme step.
As the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probes his suicide on January 30, 2026, attention has turned to a short-lived but intense legal battle Roy waged against the Income Tax Department just weeks before his death.
CJ Roy, Chairman of the Confident Group, had mounted a detailed legal challenge against the IT raids at his Bengaluru premises, questioning their jurisdiction and legality, only to withdraw the petition abruptly within 48 hours. This sudden "U-turn" has triggered significant speculation over what happened in between.
The Legal Challenge That Was Never Heard
On December 16, 2025, following a massive raid on his premises, Roy approached the Karnataka High Court with a detailed challenge to the legality of the searches.
In a petition accessed by NDTV, Roy claimed the raids were unauthorised because they were initiated by IT officials in Kochi, Kerala, even though his primary business entities were assessed and based in Bengaluru.
The petition questioned the use of a "single omnibus warrant" to search multiple distinct legal entities, arguing this violated standard procedural safeguards.
The plea alleged that "non-local" witnesses were used during the search and that premises remained sealed for an unnecessarily prolonged period.
Roy sought a declaration that the search was non est (legally non-existent) and requested the quashing of all consequential proceedings.
When the petition first came up for a preliminary hearing on December 16, Income Tax authorities sought more time, noting that Additional Solicitor General Aravind Kamat would represent the department on December 18. At their request, the court declined to grant an interim stay on the investigation until that date.
However, before the court could hear the merits of the case or address the jurisdictional objections, Roy withdrew the petition on December 18. No detailed reasons for the withdrawal were placed on record, and the court never had the opportunity to adjudicate on the serious allegations raised.
With the SIT now investigating the pressure Roy may have been under, this abrupt withdrawal has left a significant void.
