Serious questions are being raised over the termination of an assistant manager at the Purvanchal Expressway toll plaza in Sultanpur, Uttar Pradesh, after it emerged that his dismissal was dated two days before a formal complaint against him was submitted.

The accused, identified as Ashutosh Vishwas, was working with the anti-traffic management system installed at the toll plaza under the jurisdiction of Haliapur police station. The system monitors the expressway round-the-clock through CCTV cameras and is managed by a small team of three employees.

Serious allegations of blackmail using CCTV footage

According to the complaint, Ashutosh Vishwas allegedly misused the CCTV surveillance system to record private moments of passengers travelling on the expressway. It is further alleged that he zoomed in on individuals using secluded areas near the toll plaza and recorded sensitive footage without consent. These videos were then allegedly used for blackmail.

Victims reportedly paid large sums of money fearing public humiliation. However, it is alleged that even after extorting money, some of the videos were still circulated on social media.

Complaint reached CM on December 2, dismissal dated November 30

On December 2, victims submitted a written complaint to the Chief Minister, which later went viral on social media. After the matter drew public attention, the toll plaza management confirmed that Ashutosh Vishwas had been dismissed from his post.

However, the controversy lies in the fact that the termination letter is dated November 30—two days before the official complaint was lodged. This discrepancy has triggered questions about whether the action was pre-planned and whether authorities had prior knowledge of the alleged activities.

Newly married couple’s video among those mentioned

The complaint also refers to a viral video involving a newly married couple, in which their private moment was allegedly recorded using a zoomed-in CCTV camera. The complainants have claimed that this footage was part of the same blackmail operation.

Police investigation likely to intensify

While the accused has been removed from service, pressure is mounting for a thorough criminal investigation into:

• Illegal surveillance and misuse of CCTV systems

• Online circulation of private content

• Blackmail and extortion

• The timing and transparency of the termination process

Local residents and social activists have demanded strict action and safeguards to ensure that public surveillance systems are not misused in the future.