A couple of Facebook posts, WhatsApp forwards and some online reports have been making rounds since Tuesday claiming that the UAE government has seized assets of fugitive underworld don Dawood Ibrahim.

Most of these posts quotes a report in Zee News. However the news story in Zee has been attributed to "a report".

Incidentally the same report quotes Zee Media itself, saying that "Dawood has several properties, including hotels and shares in top rung companies in UAE".

The report claimed that UAE government had recently begun an inquiry into properties of Dawood Ibrahim in Dubai after receiving a confidential list from India.

Another mediahouse that reported the same story is ABP News which also cites the story to "sources".

It also added that "According to reports, when PM Modi, accompanied by NSA Doval, visited UAE the issues pertaining to Dawood’s property came up and India provided a confidential list of underworld don’s properties to UAE government."

While the authenticity of these reports cannot be verified, it is worthwhile that none of the middle east based media houses have reported it.

Also absent is any response to the report from the Indian Home Ministry or External Affairs Ministry.

The BJP had on Tuesday tweeted the news calling it PM Narendra Modi's Masterstroke, but once again it has cited source as "media reports.

Major diplomatic success of PM Modi: One of India's most wanted criminals, Dawood Ibrahim's properties worth Rs. 15,000 crore seized in UAE. pic.twitter.com/MMERwLoPO1 — BJP (@BJP4India) January 4, 2017

Remember the golden rule of the internet: Don't believe everything you see on the internet.