Thrissur: The Enforcement Directorate has raided the office of the Paliyakkara toll plaza under Guruvayur Infrastructure Limited here on Monday over alleged corruption in the construction of the Thrissur-Angamaly-Edappally section of National Highway 544. In 2020, the Central Bureau of Investigation registered a case over a complaint alleging that the central government incurred a loss of nearly Rs 150 crore due to the corruption in the National Highway renovation carried out between 2006 and 2012. Now, ED has initiated a probe into the alleged financial irregularities in the project.

Guruvayur Infrastructure Private Limited (GIPL) is a consortium of two private companies based in Kolkata and Hyderabad.  Manorama News reported that accounts related to the road works are being examined by the ED officials. According to reports, ED has launched simultaneous raids at the offices of the private companies in Kolkata and Hyderabad along with the Paliyekkara toll plaza office around 10 am on Monday.

As part of the probe, the central agency has been investigating the financial deals of the companies. Alleged corruption in the purchase of tar and service road construction has also come under the ED probe.