New Delhi. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has launched a major operation in connection with an alleged ₹120-crore toll tax fraud involving the use of illegal software at 42 toll plazas across the country. The agency conducted searches at 14 locations in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and the Delhi-NCR region. The searches are aimed at tracing the alleged financial network, illegal assets and money-laundering transactions linked to the racket.
The case stems from an investigation by the Uttar Pradesh Special Task Force (STF), which uncovered the alleged toll collection racket during a raid at the Ataraula toll plaza in Mirzapur last year. Following the FIR and evidence gathered during the STF investigation, the ED registered a case under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The agency subsequently began examining the financial transactions of people associated with the toll operations and the alleged network.
At the centre of the investigation is Alok Singh, a resident of Varanasi, who has been identified as the alleged mastermind of the network. Singh is a programmer and had previously worked at a toll plaza. Investigators allege that he used his knowledge of toll operations to develop illegal software that diverted a portion of the money collected from motorists away from the government’s authorised system and into private bank accounts allegedly controlled by members of the network.
According to the investigation, Singh allegedly colluded with toll operators and employees to install the unauthorised system at toll plazas across multiple states. The network is reported to have extended to 42 toll plazas in 14 states. These include nine toll plazas in Uttar Pradesh, six in Madhya Pradesh, four each in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh, three each in Maharashtra and Jharkhand, and two each in Punjab, Assam and West Bengal. One toll plaza each in Jammu and Kashmir, Odisha, Himachal Pradesh and Telangana has also allegedly been linked to the network.
The alleged fraud involved private software operating parallel to the official toll collection system of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI). The investigation has referred to software named ‘MobData’ and ‘Any’. These systems allegedly recorded vehicle entries and generated toll receipts for motorists, but the corresponding transaction data and funds were allegedly kept outside the official government records and authorised banking system.
The alleged racket primarily targeted vehicles without FASTag or those with insufficient balance in their FASTag accounts. Such vehicles can attract higher toll charges under applicable rules. Investigators allege that the illegal software generated receipts that appeared genuine to motorists. Since drivers received what appeared to be valid payment receipts, they were unlikely to suspect that the transaction had been diverted from the authorised system.
The investigation at the Ataraula toll plaza in Mirzapur played a key role in exposing the alleged network. The authorities had estimated that NHAI was suffering a revenue loss of around ₹45,000 per day at the plaza through the alleged method. Following the investigation, the company associated with the toll operations, Shiva Buildtech, was reportedly blacklisted.
The ED’s latest action goes beyond determining the direct loss of toll revenue. The agency is also investigating where the allegedly diverted funds were deposited, how the money was distributed among those involved and whether the proceeds were used to acquire properties or other assets.
Documents, digital devices, banking records and other financial evidence recovered during the searches could help investigators establish the flow of money and identify additional beneficiaries of the alleged racket. The agency is also examining the role of toll operators and employees who may have facilitated the installation or operation of the unauthorised software.
The ED is now working to establish the complete financial structure of the alleged network and trace the proceeds generated through the illegal toll collection system. Further action will depend on the evidence recovered during the searches and the findings of the ongoing investigation.
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About the author — Suvedita Nath is a science student with a growing interest in cybercrime and digital safety. She writes on online activity, cyber threats, and technology-driven risks. Her work focuses on clarity, accuracy, and public awareness.
