Lucknow, September 3 (Daily Kiran) : The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has intensified its investigation into a major toll plaza scam, conducting raids at 14 locations across six states, including Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, West Bengal, and the Delhi-NCR region. This operation was initiated in response to an FIR filed by the Uttar Pradesh police regarding large-scale fraudulent toll collections at the Atraila toll plaza in Mirzapur and other locations nationwide.
The investigation revealed that in January 2025, the Uttar Pradesh police uncovered a scheme at the Atraila Shiv Gulam toll plaza. An unauthorized mobile app was reportedly used to collect tolls from vehicles lacking sufficient Fastag balance. This illicit app generated fake receipts and concealed collection data from the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI), resulting in significant revenue losses.
Further inquiries by the ED uncovered that unauthorized applications named ‘Mobdata’ and ‘Any’ facilitated toll collections from vehicles without Fastag. These apps were part of a broader network designed to monitor illegal toll collections. Forensic analysis of seized digital devices indicated that this system was operational at nearly 100 toll plazas, generating millions in unauthorized toll receipts.
The investigation has also identified intermediaries appointed by NHAI and their involvement in the use of these unauthorized applications. A substantial network connected to toll plazas and these entities has been identified, warranting further examination.
During the raids, the ED recovered approximately ₹1.03 crore in cash, account books, financial records, bank-related documents, and various digital devices. Additionally, eight bank lockers were frozen, and numerous incriminating documents related to toll collection, financial transactions, and suspicious communications were discovered.
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