‘Blot on tax administration’: Kerala CM writes to FM Sitharaman, seeks judicial probe into C J Roy’s death

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has written to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman seeking a judicial inquiry into the death of C J Roy, head of the Confident Group, who died by suicide during an Income Tax department search at his Bengaluru residence on January 30.

In his letter dated February 1, Vijayan said the incident had caused “deep sorrow and shock” among the people of Kerala, the business community, and civil society. He described the death as a “blot on the tax administration of the country”, especially at a time when the Centre has emphasised non-intrusive tax enforcement under the Non-intrusive Usage of Data to Enable and Enable (NUDGE) framework.

While acknowledging that intrusive action may be required in rare cases, the Chief Minister said extreme caution must be exercised while initiating, conducting, and concluding search operations. Citing media reports, he suggested that a lack of due diligence may have led to the loss of an entrepreneur’s life.

Vijayan flagged serious procedural lapses, noting that during search and seizure operations, the premises are meant to be under the control of tax officials, who bear responsibility for ensuring safety. He said it was “quite surprising” that Roy could access a licensed firearm and shoot himself while the search was still underway.

According to established procedure, the person against whom a search warrant is issued must remain present at the premises, with at least two independent witnesses. If reports that Roy moved to another room and accessed his firearm during the operation are correct, Vijayan said, it would point to a “serious lapse” and non-compliance with minimum essential protocol.

The Chief Minister also referred to allegations raised by Roy’s family. Roy’s brother Babu was quoted as saying that Roy had cooperated fully and submitted all documents, but continued to face repeated searches. Vijayan said that while the Income Tax department would have its own version, the truth could emerge only through a credible and impartial examination of legal and administrative procedures, including whether the tragedy could have been prevented.

Calling a judicial inquiry the most credible option, he urged the Centre to constitute a Commission of Inquiry headed by a person with experience as a judge of a constitutional court. He said that merely calling for official reports or reiterating that procedures were followed would not satisfy public confidence.

While endorsing the need for zero tolerance towards tax evasion, Vijayan stressed that no action leading to the loss of human life could be justified in a civilised democratic society. He urged the Union government to order a judicial inquiry without delay and submit a comprehensive report within a fixed timeframe.