Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 03: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has described the ‘unnatural death’ of Confidant Group president CJ Roy during an IT department raid as a blot on the country’s tax administration. He has written a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman demanding a judicial probe into the incident.
The incident shows a serious lack of diligence. It is worrying that a person who was present at the house during the IT search operation could have taken out a loaded gun and shot himself, the Kerala Chief Minister said in his letter.
Citing recent reports that Roy was shifted to another room instead of being kept at the search site, Vijayan said this was a serious lapse and evidence of non-compliance with necessary etiquette.
An official clarification stating that legal provisions were followed is not enough. He argued that a judicial probe is needed to examine the wider aspects of the case.
The Central Government should order such an investigation without delay and ensure that a comprehensive report is submitted within the stipulated time frame. He urged that an impartial investigation is essential to prevent such tragic incidents from happening in the future.
It is the responsibility of the authorities to conduct searches in a safe and humane manner. Vijayan said that any action that leads to the loss of precious human life like that of CJ Roy cannot be justified in a civilised democratic society.