BENGALURU: Karnataka minister Priyank Kharge on Saturday termed the death of Confident Group chairman CJ Roy as a case of “pure harassment” by the Income Tax Department, accusing the Centre of misusing the IT, ED and GST agencies to target SMEs, MSMEs, individuals and industrialists who do not align with the government.The remarks came a day after Roy allegedly died by suicide in Bengaluru on Friday, officials said.Also see: Inside Confident Group chairman CJ Roy’s luxury car collection: 12 Rolls-Royce, Bugatti, Lamborghinis and more – Photos“This is nothing but harassment by the Income Tax and Enforcement Directorate officials, and it is happening across the country. This is the third or fourth such instance in Karnataka. The IT, ED and GST departments are being used to harass SMEs, MSMEs, individuals and industrialists who do not align with the government,” Priyank Kharge said.Kharge further alleged that central agencies had been turned into instruments of harassment, with individuals earning their livelihoods legally being subjected to undue pressure. He said the issue was not merely a political allegation, noting that Roy’s family had also made similar claims.“These agencies have been turned into tools of harassment. But people who are earning their livelihood legally are subjected to such harassment. This is not just a political allegation–the family has also said the same. Whatever the case may be, we will investigate it. We will even investigate the IT officials who were present there.” he said. Earlier in the day, Karnataka home minister G Parameshwara on Saturday said that Roy’s company had been raided by the Income Tax Department in December 2025 and was given 60 days to file a chargesheet.Speaking to mediapersons in Bengaluru, Parameshwara said the deadline to file the chargesheet was February 4, and Roy had returned from Dubai three days ago. He added that Roy cooperated with the Income Tax officials who visited his office to record his statement. “His (CJ Roy) company was raided by the IT department in December. They were given 60 days to file a charge sheet. The deadline was set for the February 4 and he arrived from Dubai three days ago. The officials (Income Tax) went to his office to record his statement. He (Roy) responded to that,” Parameshwara told reporters.CJ Roy’s wife Lina Roy and son Rohith Roy arrived at the Bowring Hospital post-mortem centre in Bengaluru on Saturday, accompanied by Karnataka Pradesh Youth Congress Committee president Mohammed Nalapad.Meanwhile, officials said forensic teams, including the Scene of Crime Officer (SOCO) and Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), are probing the case. Income Tax officials had conducted raids at Roy’s premises over the past two days, they added.Bengaluru City police commissioner Seemanth Kumar Singh said, “An incident occurred today within the limits of Ashok Nagar police station, where the chairman of the Confident Group (CJ Roy) shot himself. The SOCO and FSL teams are investigating the matter. He was immediately taken to a nearby hospital, where he was declared dead.” (With agency inputs)
