Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Railway Police have found that the unaccounted Rs 45 lakh, seized from a Karnataka native at Thiruvananthapuram Central Station, was the bribe amount for a top official at the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

The official under scanner has the authority to take important decisions on the National Highway development in the state.

The Railway Police have requested Kerala Police's cyber cell to provide the call details of the official and his relatives.

Railway Police had nabbed Gangaraj a few minutes before he boarded the Kanyakumari-Bengaluru Island Express on Tuesday. The confiscated currency notes of ₹2,000 and ₹500 were found in his soiled bag.

Gangaraj has been remanded to 14 days in custody.

The Central Intelligence Bureau has launched an inquiry to trace the source.

Gangaraj told police that group of people blindfolded him and took him to a house in Thiruvananthapuram before handing over the money. He said he was instructed to carry the money to Bengaluru for a land transaction.