Police in Kozhikode have registered a case against six toll plaza employees for allegedly siphoning over ₹7 lakh by using private QR codes to collect payments. This incident highlights vulnerabilities in manual toll collection processes for vehicles without FASTag.
The toll plaza fraud
The Pantheerankavu police have registered a case against six employees of a toll plaza in Kozhikode city.
The accused allegedly diverted toll payments to their personal bank accounts by displaying private QR codes to drivers.
According to the police, the employees specifically targeted vehicles that passed through the plaza without FASTag.
This allowed them to bypass the authorised toll collection system and collect money directly from motorists.
Impact on vehicle owners
This incident affects the integrity of the toll collection system and could impact many road users.
Those who do not use FASTag are particularly vulnerable to such deceptive practices at toll plazas.
- Motorists who do not use FASTag for toll payments.
- Toll plaza operators relying on manual collection methods.
- The financial systems responsible for managing toll revenue.
- Public trust in digital payment methods at public facilities.
These types of incidents matter because they undermine the automated systems designed to make highway travel efficient.
When employees manipulate payment channels, it creates financial losses for the operators and potential confusion for drivers.
How the fraud occurred
The alleged fraud came to light after the employees left their jobs.
The toll plaza manager conducted an inspection of the accounts and subsequently lodged a complaint with the police.
Five of the accused individuals allegedly returned to their home state after their contract periods expired.
One individual, Bibin Rajput, was taken into police custody by the authorities.
The accused have been identified as Umashankar, Monti Rajput, Harimohan, Shim, Naveen Singh Bhadoriya, and Bibin Rajput.
All of these individuals are natives of Uttar Pradesh.
It is common for large infrastructure projects to employ staff on contract periods.
When these contracts end, employees often return to their home states, which can complicate legal investigations.
What happens next
The police have initiated steps to bring the remaining accused to Kozhikode for a detailed investigation.
Authorities are currently working to determine the full extent of the misappropriated funds.
- Police will continue investigating the total sum allegedly misappropriated, which could be higher than the current estimate.
- Authorities will work to trace the money collected through the private QR codes.
- Investigators may bring the remaining five accused from their home state to Kozhikode for questioning.
Sub-Inspector N. Rajkumar is currently leading the investigation.
As the case progresses, the police will likely review financial records and bank statements to confirm the total amount of money diverted.
Key facts at a glance
- Over ₹7 lakh was allegedly siphoned by the employees.
- The case was registered by the Pantheerankavu police in Kozhikode.
- Six employees are named in the case, all natives of Uttar Pradesh.
- The fraud involved displaying private QR codes to collect toll payments.
- One accused is in police custody while five others have left the state.
This case serves as a reminder of the importance of auditing digital payment systems.
Regular checks by management are often the only way to detect discrepancies when staff are in direct contact with collection.
Read the news report this explainer is based on: QR code fraud: police register case against six toll plaza employees in Kozhikode.
Source: Ebenezer News Explainer Desk · Ebenezer News Explainer Desk. Published 18 Oct 2026, 12:40 pm.
