‘He did not take anyone’s money; this is a zero-debt company,’ Confident Group MD defends CJ Roy

Kochi: Confident Group managing director T A Joseph has reiterated that there is no need for concern about the company’s operations and that everyone who has invested in the group will benefit. He said Confident Group would move forward by overcoming any crisis and that the company alone bears responsibility for all its projects in Kerala. He added that the company functions independently and that the death of chairman C J Roy would not affect its operations in Kerala or Bengaluru. No one has been cheated, Joseph said.

He further said that the company has no investors from the film industry. The association with actor Mohanlal was limited to the film ‘Casanova’. Producer Antony Perumbavoor is a close friend but not an investor, he added. Posters and other film-related materials were shared on social media by the chairman purely as part of that friendship. Joseph reiterated that Confident Group is a zero-debt company, adding that money does not flow from the company to the film industry.

Responding to statements made by the chairman’s brother to the media, Joseph said they were incorrect. He said the brother was not involved in the chairman’s day-to-day affairs and was unaware of the company’s functioning. He added that the brother had been cautioned over remarks made to the media after the chairman’s death. “No one harassed the chairman. He was not someone who would be frightened easily. We are satisfied with the investigation,” Joseph said.

Joseph alleged that certain YouTube channels were targeting the chairman aggressively. Describing C J Roy as a strong individual, Joseph said he was someone who dealt with issues as personal challenges and did not seek emotional support from outside. “We are unable to come to terms with the chairman’s demise. He was our mentor and motivator. His philosophy was to celebrate life,” he said.

Joseph said that as a Special Investigation Team probe was underway, he was constrained in what he could disclose, and that he had been instructed not to say anything that could affect the investigation. He also alleged that some sections of the media were attempting to portray the company as being involved in smuggling and benami operations. Such attempts to justify the targeting of the chairman were unacceptable, he said, reiterating that no one’s money had been misappropriated.