According to police, Ashutosh Sarkar, an Assistant Manager with the ATMS unit, accessed surveillance feeds and captured the footage from nearly 500 metres away. He later confronted the couple and demanded ₹32,000, threatening to circulate the video online. Despite receiving the money, he is accused of making the clip public. Investigators say several other travellers and local residents have reported similar extortion attempts in recent months.
The ATMS system, installed to strengthen highway safety and manage traffic, uses high-definition cameras placed at intervals of around one kilometre. Retired IPS officer and expressway safety nodal official Rajesh Pandey said the technology provides continuous monitoring but acknowledged that access protocols are now being revised after the breach.
Police findings suggest Sarkar systematically targeted couples inside parked vehicles and women in nearby villages, including Haliyapur and Jaraikala. An FIR states he misused camera feeds for over two years, threatening commuters and villagers to extort money. Authorities have since dismissed Sarkar and three other employees, while an associate working at the toll plaza has been arrested.
Legal experts say victims can pursue charges under IPC sections related to voyeurism and intimidation, along with provisions of the IT Act covering privacy violations and circulation of obscene content. They advise immediate complaints to local police and cybercrime units, along with requests to social media platforms for removal of leaked content.
The incident has triggered a broader debate over surveillance practices on expressways. Officials say access to ATMS feeds will now be restricted to authorised personnel with unique IDs, and external audits may be introduced. Safety experts have urged travellers to be aware of highway monitoring and avoid private activities in parked vehicles, noting that enhanced vigilance should not come at the cost of citizen privacy.
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