The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has seized fake currency notes worth Rs 8.9 lakh from a local politician in Mumbai.

The DRI sleuths said that the notes were printed in Bangladesh and supplied via North-Eastern region in India.

According to the officials the fakes notes replicated security feature of original notes and were very difficult to identify.

The seized currency notes were in Rs 500 denomination. "Out of 27 high security features in the original currency notes, the seized fake notes had about 15 features printed by RBI.

Earlier fake notes were found with about 7 security features," said a source from DRI.

The agency is presently awaiting a forensic report on the notes from the Nashik Printing Press.

Incidentally, a Imran Alam Sheikh from the Congress party and two others were arrested by the DRI for running a fake currency racket in Mumbai. Sheikh is reportedly the general secretary of the Congress party's district committee.

"During interrogation, Sheikh began crying and spilled the beans about his involvement. However, he did not have any criminal background and is not the mastermind behind the racket. His brother, who is with Shiv Sena Party, has no trace of involvement," said a source from DRI.

In a similar development, another member of the racket identified as Shivajirao Khedekar was apprehended by the Pune Police. The DRI will visit Pune to interrogate him and to track the remaining consignment of fake currency.

Primary investigations revealed that Khedekar was the main supplier and key distributor who was sourcing fake notes from India-Bangladesh border. Khedekar took about 10 per cent commission for his work.

The agency believes that apart from 8.9 lakh notes, there is a possibility that around 30 lakh such notes are presently in circulation. The agency is expecting few more seizures and arrest in one or two days.

In last two months, this is third case of fake currency in Mumbai and adjoining regions. However, in earlier two cases, the DRI officials seized FICN of Rs 2,000 denomination in large number and few notes of Rs 500.