ED conducts multi state searches in NHAI toll collection fraud case
2 sources · India
Who reported this
- The Hindu
- Hindustan Times
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- Centre-left
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- Centre-right
- Right
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Every source for this story reports from India.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at 14 premises across seven states and union territories on Wednesday, September 2, 2026. The operation is part of a money laundering investigation into alleged fraudulent toll collection at National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) plazas. The searches took place in Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Jammu and Kashmir, Madhya Pradesh, Delhi NCR, and West Bengal.
The action was launched under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. The investigation follows allegations that unauthorized software applications were used to generate toll receipts, allowing collections to be diverted outside the official accounting mechanism. ED officials stated that forensic examinations and NHAI records corroborated the use of this software.
The agency aims to recover digital and documentary evidence to identify beneficiaries and trace the proceeds of crime. According to a center right source, the investigation stems from a case registered in January 2025, with the ED filing an Enforcement Case Information Report in May 2025. The agency has not yet disclosed the names of the entities searched or the total amount of revenue allegedly diverted.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- The report focused on the basic facts of the raids and the nature of the fraud without providing extensive procedural history.
- Centre-right
- The report provided more granular detail regarding the timeline of the investigation and the specific legal sections invoked.
Sources
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