Roy CJ, the founder-chairman of the Confident Group, who died by suicide during an IT raid at his corporate office in Bengaluru, was a well-known builder with interests in hospitality, aviation, entertainment, education, and the retail sector.

A native of Kochi, he grew up in Bengaluru. As a mechanical engineering graduate, Roy had earlier worked as a planning manager at HP and later completed his doctorate in Business Administration at SBS Business School in Zurich. He had also worked with major corporations, including Fortune 100 companies, before entering the construction and real estate sectors.

He founded the Confident Group in 2005, along with six partners, with an initial investment of ₹100 crore. The company, which began operations with its headquarters in Dubai, later launched several real estate business ventures in Karnataka and Kerala.

Roy and Confident Group are credited with introducing several innovations in Bengaluru's real estate space. These included the concept of four-sided ventilation in residential projects and the use of concrete roads within integrated townships.

In various interviews, Roy had stated that his policy was to do business debt-free.

Apart from the residential projects, Roy became widely known among the public after the Confident Group gifted an apartment to the winner of a popular reality show.

He has also produced Malayalam movies, including the big-budget movie Casanova starring Mohanlal. His latest production, Anomie, starring Bhavana in the lead, is set to hit theatres later this year.

In 2017, Roy was appointed the Honorary Consul of the Slovak Republic. He was also entrusted with the responsibility of serving as a consular officer at the consulate opened in Bengaluru.

Passion for high-end cars
Roy was known for his passion for luxury and high-performance automobiles. His personal collection reportedly included 12 Rolls-Royce cars, including the flagship Phantom VIII. He also owned several supercars, including a Bugatti Veyron, a Koenigsegg Agera and a Bentley Continental GT. His collection also included several McLaren and Ferrari models.

Roy often described himself as a car enthusiast and said his fascination with automobiles began at the age of 25. He regularly showcased his collection on social media. His garages were located in India and Dubai.

His attachment to cars was perhaps best illustrated by an incident involving his first vehicle, a Maruti 800. Roy had bought the car in 1994. However, he sold it three years later to buy a Maruti Esteem. Decades on, citing its sentimental value, he launched a social media search to trace the vehicle and eventually bought it back for ₹10 lakh.

In an Instagram post, Roy said the Maruti 800 was his first major personal achievement and recalled that it was among the best cars on Indian roads at the time. He credited social media users for helping locate the vehicle. He described the buy-back as an emotional milestone rather than a financial decision.

Roy later reflected on how the same amount he paid for the car in the 1990s could have bought land that is now worth several crores. "I bought it for ₹1.10 lakh the same amount of money in 1994 would have got me 2 acres of land in Sarjapur!. Today the 2 acres of land in Sarjapur will be worth over ₹20 crore," he said in an Instagram post.

"Buy a Car but also Buy a small piece of Land. Land Becomes Family Wealth," was his message.