The real estate and entertainment industries were left stunned on Friday after Roy Chiriankandath Joseph, popularly known as CJ Roy, Chairman of Kerala-based Confident Group, allegedly shot himself at his Bengaluru office. Sources said Income Tax department officials were present at the premises at the time of the incident.
The incident took place around midday at Roy’s office-cum-residence located on Langford Road in central Bengaluru. According to preliminary information, Roy used a pistol that was in his possession. He was rushed in a critical condition to a private hospital and was later shifted to Narayana Health City, where doctors declared him dead during treatment.
Sources said an Income Tax team had arrived at the office as part of an official exercise. However, there has been no formal statement establishing a direct link between the presence of officials and the incident. Authorities have said that all angles are being examined and the circumstances leading to the incident are under investigation.
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News of Roy’s death triggered shockwaves across the real estate sector and the Malayalam film industry. CJ Roy was the founder and chairman of Confident Group, one of Kerala’s prominent real estate developers, with business interests extending beyond India to the United States and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).
According to information available on the company’s official platforms, Confident Group has been active for over 19 years across real estate and allied sectors. The group has claimed to have completed more than 159 projects in Kerala, Bengaluru and Dubai, stating that none of its developments were stalled due to legal, financial or administrative reasons.
Roy often projected himself as a “zero-debt” entrepreneur, publicly maintaining that most of his projects were executed without availing bank loans. The company has also stated that several of its projects received CRISIL 7-star ratings, and that land titles for its developments underwent multi-level legal scrutiny before execution.
Beyond real estate, CJ Roy had also made a mark in the film production space. He made his debut as a producer with the big-budget Malayalam film Casanova in 2012. He later went on to associate with high-profile projects, including Mohanlal-starrer Marakkar: Lion of the Arabian Sea (released in 2021). More recently, he was the producer of Identity, starring Tovino Thomas.
Industry insiders said Roy was known for stepping in to invest in projects facing financial distress. He was also associated with the sponsorship of several television programmes and was actively involved in social and community welfare initiatives.
In business circles across Kerala and Karnataka, CJ Roy was regarded as an aggressive yet forward-looking entrepreneur. He was equally known for his fondness for luxury cars and his visibility in high-profile social initiatives, which often kept him in the public eye.
Following the incident, the Income Tax department and other agencies began collating information related to the case. Officials said further action would be guided by the post-mortem report and technical evidence gathered during the inquiry.
CJ Roy’s untimely death is being seen as a major blow to both the real estate and entertainment industries, with several industry figures expressing grief over his passing.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
