A significant fraud involving four toll plazas in Chhattisgarh has been uncovered, leading to massive losses for the exchequer. The Special Task Force (STF) of the Uttar Pradesh government arrested Alok Kumar Singh (a builder from Jaunpur), Rajiv Kumar Mishra (from Prayagraj), Manish Mishra (from Sidhi, MP), and toll operator Suryanarayan for their involvement in creating fake software that mimicked National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) receipts.
The scam, which affected toll plazas in Kumhari, Bhojpuri, Maharajpur, and Mudiapara, was part of a larger operation targeting around 200 toll plazas across 12 states. These fraudulent activities led to the siphoning of crores of rupees from the toll plazas of Chhattisgarh alone.
According to the STF, the accused created software that falsely marked vehicles without FASTag as exempt, thus bypassing the toll fees. The illegally collected toll tax was then funneled into the personal accounts of the gang members. The STF seized several items during the investigation, including laptops, phones, a printer, cash, and even a car used by the suspects.
Alok Kumar Singh, who is believed to be the mastermind of the operation, had previously worked at a toll plaza and allegedly collaborated with toll operators to carry out the scheme. Investigations revealed that the gang installed this fake software on the toll plaza systems, continuously embezzling toll taxes over an extended period.
Under NHAI regulations, 50% of tolls collected from non-FASTag vehicles must be deposited with NHAI, but this money was misappropriated in the scam. The illegal funds were then distributed among the toll plaza owners and employees.
In response to the scam, Binod Singh, SSP of UP STF, confirmed that the mastermind had intentionally installed duplicate NHAI software on the computers of 42 toll plazas, including the four in Chhattisgarh. Investigations are ongoing, and more arrests are expected as part of the probe.
Meanwhile, Amar Singh, NHAI Project Director for Chhattisgarh, assured the media that the toll plazas mentioned in the STF report would undergo a thorough investigation. Based on the findings, further actions, including contract cancellations and fraud charges, will be taken.
This fraudulent scheme highlights a major toll tax embezzlement racket, costing the government and vehicle owners heavily, and further investigations are underway to hold all involved parties accountable.
