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Realtor’s suicide: No note found on scene, confirms SIT
The SIT investigating realtor CJ Roy's death found no suicide note, raising questions amid claims of a legal battle he faced prior to his demise.
The SIT probing the death of realtor CJ Roy has found no suicide note or personal diary at the scene, and prima facie it appears to be a case of suicide, according to a senior officer associated with the inquiry.
“There is talk of a nine-page suicide note and a 20-page diary, but we will recognise any document as a death note only if it is recovered from the scene or supported by electronic evidence during the probe. Claims about such papers without proof will not be taken into account,” the officer said.
He added: “No such note was found at the scene during the initial examination, and investigators carried out an extensive search for over 48 hours, collecting key evidence such as CCTV recordings covering the full premises. The SIT has full authority to conduct a thorough investigation to determine the factors that may have driven Roy to take this step,” the officer said, adding that Roy’s wife will likely be questioned soon as she is believed to be familiar with his financial records and business dealings.
Meanwhile, a team led by IRS officer Krishnaprasad from Kochi carried out searches at company offices as part of the probe.
Roy’s death came against the backdrop of a legal battle he had initiated over income tax searches at his Bengaluru premises.
On December 16, 2025, he moved the Karnataka High Court challenging the legality and jurisdiction of the raids. In his petition, he argued that the searches were unauthorised because they were initiated by income tax officials from Kochi, Kerala, even though his main business entities were assessed and based in Bengaluru.
The petition also objected to what it described as the use of a single, omnibus warrant to search multiple legally distinct entities, calling it a breach of procedural safeguards. It further alleged that non-local witnesses were present during the search and that the premises were sealed for an unnecessarily long period. Roy sought a declaration that the search was legally non-existent and asked the court to quash all subsequent proceedings.
When the matter first came up, income tax authorities requested time, stating that Additional Solicitor General Aravind Kamat would appear for the department on December 18. The court declined to grant an interim stay until that date. Before the case could be argued on merits, however, Roy withdrew the petition on December 18. No detailed reasons were recorded, and the court did not rule on the issues he raised.
With the SIT now examining the circumstances and possible pressures surrounding Roy before his death, the withdrawal of the case has drawn attention as a significant development in the timeline.
The formation of the SIT itself has triggered political reactions. BJP state president BY Vijayendra questioned the state government’s decision to set up the team. Speaking in Shivamogga, he said the announcement came in undue haste. “The constitution of an SIT in such a hurry has created suspicion about the intent of the government. I am noticing pain and confusion on Deputy CM DK Shivakumar’s face,” he said.
He further alleged that the state government forms SITs selectively. “The State Government formed an SIT when there were allegations of mismanagement of funds at the Karnataka Maharshi Valmiki Scheduled Tribes Development Corporation. Similarly, the government formed SITs to protect its supporters in other cases,” he said.
