Special Task Force Exposes ₹120 Crore Scam in Toll Tax Collection in Uttar Pradesh

Special Task Force Exposes ₹120 Crore Scam in Toll Tax Collection in Uttar Pradesh

Special Task Force Exposes ₹120 Crore Scam in Toll Tax Collection in Uttar Pradesh

Lucknow: Lucknow unit of Special Task Force unearthed an enormous scam where the racketeers were collecting toll tax amounting to more than ₹120 crores at around 42 toll plazas in Uttar Pradesh and other places across the country. On Tuesday night, the STF raided the Atarela toll plaza in Lalganj, Mirzapur, and arrested four employees involved in the fraudulent activities. Inspector Deepak Singh of the STF filed an FIR against the accused at the Lalganj police station, and the suspects have been handed over to the local police for further investigation. The scam, according to the STF, was about tampering with software to siphon money.

The toll employees, as accused, reportedly collected ₹100 from the vehicle owners but deposited only ₹90 into the official bank accounts. The remaining ₹10 per transaction was siphoned off into their own accounts. Fake receipts were also issued for vehicles allowed to pass without paying tolls. In one instance, a fake receipt was generated for an STF government vehicle, and ₹220 was fraudulently charged.

The STF has also uncovered that some officials and employees of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) are involved in the scam. More arrests are likely to follow as the investigation unfolds.

This is a very sophisticated network of corruption that exploited software loopholes and violated public trust. The STF is following up on leads to ensure that all those involved in the scheme are brought to book.