Private bus seized in Karnataka for displaying slogans glorifying fugitive Dawood Ibrahim

Police in Chikkamagaluru district of Karnataka have seized a private bus and registered a case against its driver and owner after authorities found inscriptions allegedly glorifying fugitive gangster Dawood Ibrahim on the vehicle.

The incident came to light on March 26 when a Tamil Nadu-registered private bus carrying 48 engineering students was travelling through the district while returning from a college trip, officials said.

According to police, officers found multiple provocative slogans on the vehicle , including “Bombay Underworld Dawood the Real Don”, “D Gangs of Mumbai”, and “Real Criminal Don” . Officials stated that such glorification of a designated terrorist posed a threat to public order and national integrity , particularly as the bus had begun attracting attention from local groups.

The bus, registered in Tamil Nadu (TN21AU2699) , was intercepted on R.G. Road at around 3 pm following a tip-off , according to the First Information Report (FIR) . A police team from Basavanahalli Police Station stopped the vehicle and inspected the markings.

Authorities said the inscriptions praising Dawood Ibrahim, who is declared a terrorist by India , were displayed in a manner that could undermine the country’s sovereignty and national integrity , prompting immediate action.

“The case was registered after we received information that the vehicle was displaying slogans glorifying Dawood Ibrahim,” a police officer associated with the investigation said, adding that the bus was seized and taken to the police station for further inquiry .

The students, from an engineering college in Coimbatore, had been on a tour to Dandeli in Uttara Kannada district and were travelling back when the vehicle was intercepted. The bus had been arranged through a private travel agency for the excursion.

Police later arranged an alternative vehicle for the students to continue their journey , ensuring their travel was not disrupted.

During questioning, the driver reportedly told investigators that he was only operating the vehicle and had no role in placing the inscriptions , while the owner of the bus, based in Coimbatore , has been asked to join the inquiry. Police have registered a case against the driver and the owner under Section 197(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita , which deals with imputations prejudicial to national integration , and further investigation is underway.