Opposition seeks investigation into CJ Roy’s death, cites pressure from Income Tax officials

Thiruvananthapuram: The untimely death of Confident Group chairman C J Roy has triggered a slew of rumours linking it to the upcoming Legislative Assembly elections in Kerala.

The Congress and the CPM have sought a detailed probe into the alleged pressure exerted on him by Income Tax Department officials. The BJP has maintained that the Income Tax raids were routine procedures.

Roy was believed to be among the key election fund contributors to political parties in Kerala due to his business interests in the state. For that reason, Congress and CPM camps allegedly suspect that he was yet another victim of the BJP-led government at the Centre, exerting pressure on business groups using central agencies for political purposes.

Confident Group’s projects across Kerala, Roy’s connections with Congress leaders, and the aggressive campaigns in Kerala by White Gold, a business concern owned by Roy’s brother C J Babu, are cited by real estate industry sources as reasons for Roy’s interest in Kerala elections.

Congress legislature party leader V D Satheesan and CPM state secretary M V Govindan sought a comprehensive probe into Roy’s death in the wake of allegations of pressure from Central agencies.

Meanwhile, BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who is also an industrialist based in Bengaluru, said Income Tax raids were quite common in real estate firms and, therefore, could not be the reason for Roy ending his life.

Recently, there were allegations that the decision of the Twenty20 political forum, promoted by Kitex Group managing director Sabu M Jacob, to join hands with the BJP came after the Enforcement Directorate (ED) issued a notice to the company. Sabu denied the allegation, even while admitting that the ED notice was part of routine procedures.

According to a source in the real estate sector, central agencies would naturally be under pressure from political leadership to tighten their vigil over firms that could fund opposition parties as elections approach. When the Congress was in power at the Centre, it too followed similar practices, the source said.

“Since the Congress is now in power in Karnataka, the party in Kerala could be tapping resources from business concerns in Karnataka. The Congress also has a strong network in Gulf countries, which makes it easier for the party to route funds,” an NRI businessman, who preferred to remain anonymous, claimed.

The upcoming Kerala Assembly polls are crucial for the Congress to return to power after ten years. The BJP is also trying to open its account in the state and prevent a Congress victory.