The Enforcement Directorate has searched 14 locations across seven states in a money laundering investigation into alleged irregularities at NHAI toll plazas. The probe centres on claims that unauthorised software was used to generate toll receipts outside approved systems, potentially allowing collections to bypass official accounting controls. Searches were conducted under the PMLA at premises in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jammu, Madhya Pradesh, NCR and Kolkata. The ED said investigators are examining electronic devices, financial records and other evidence to trace possible financial proceeds.
ED Cracks Down on Alleged NHAI Toll Fraud, Searches 14 Locations Across India
The Enforcement Directorate has intensified its investigation into a purported toll collection scam involving National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plazas, carrying out searches in various states to trace suspected financial irregularities.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) is searching 14 locations across seven states as part of an ongoing money laundering investigation into an alleged scam involving the collection of tolls at toll plazas run by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI).
The operation by the ED’s Lucknow Zonal Office was launched on September 2 under Section 17 of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. Searches were carried out in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jammu, Madhya Pradesh, the National Capital Region (NCR) and Kolkata.
The probe was initiated on the basis of a First Information Report (FIR) registered on January 22, 2025, and an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) dated May 19, 2025, the Enforcement Directorate said. The agency is investigating alleged irregularities in toll collection systems at certain NHAI plazas.
The case concerns allegations of the use of unapproved software applications to produce receipts at toll collection points. The investigators are also probing whether the toll revenues generated through these transactions were diverted away without being reflected in the official accounting framework of NHAI.
NHAI Toll Collection Probe Focuses on Alleged Software Manipulation
The Enforcement Directorate said the preliminary findings indicated possible use of unauthorized software to generate toll receipts outside the official approved toll management infrastructure.
The agency said the transactions may have allowed the collections to bypass normal accounting controls. Investigators are trying to determine whether the alleged activities resulted in financial losses and if the proceeds were then passed through undisclosed channels.
The ED said its findings are supported by forensic analysis and the records procured from the National Highways Authority of India. Officials said digital evidence collected in the investigation points to the alleged use of software applications outside of authorized operational systems.
No individual suspects have been named by authorities at this stage. “The investigation remains fact-finding, following the money and determining if any criminal proceeds were made through the alleged mechanism.
The investigators said the search is focusing on electronic devices, financial records, digital storage systems and related paperwork in an effort to shed further light on the alleged fraud.
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Money Trail Investigation Expands Across Multiple States
The recent searches are targeting the entire money trail linked to the alleged siphoning off of toll collections. Officials are trying to determine who the beneficiaries were and how the suspected transactions could have been structured.
The Enforcement Directorate said it was examining the role of certain persons and entities connected to the toll collection process. Investigators are also examining financial records to determine if money was funneled through avenues other than approved accounting systems.
The case highlights the growing level of scrutiny of digital infrastructure supporting systems for collecting public revenue. Given the high volume of daily transactions in toll collection networks, public institutions and infrastructure authorities must be transparent and accountable.
Lawyers say the process of investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act can include intensive forensic examination of accounts, electronic systems and transactional data before any conclusions are drawn on culpability or tainted money.
The investigation is at a critical stage, and authorities are still collecting evidence from multiple jurisdictions, Sprouts News said. The Enforcement Directorate has not come to any conclusions so far formally.
The ED said further investigation is on. The next stage of the probe into the alleged NHAI toll collection scam case is likely to be influenced by further findings from forensic probes, financial audits and document reviews.
