After reports claiming that unpublished version of former Army Chief General Manoj Naravane's memoir was being circulated online, Delhi police on Monday lodged an FIR over the PDF leak.
The unpublished memoir, titled, Four Stars of Destiny, has sparked controversy after Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi quoted from the book to target the BJP government in the Parliament. The memoir contains the milestones during General Naravane's service in the Army.
Delhi police's special cell said they took cognisance of the information spread on social media that a soft copy of the memoir was being circulated. This comes as the authorities are yet give clearance for the book's publication.
"In order to carryout a thorough investigation into this purported leak/breach of a yet to be approved publication, a case has been registered with the Special Cell and investigation is being taken up," said a statement by the police.
Investigation revealed that a PDF copy of the book apparently prepared by Penguin Random House India was uploaded on certain websites and online marketing platforms.
The controversy initially erupted after Rahul Gandhi read out excerpts of a magazine article on General Naravane's memoir. He also flashed a purported copy of the book while speaking in the Parliament. After the Lok Sabha proceedings got disrupted, eight MPs were suspended over the issue for the remaining part of the ongoing Budget session.
The opposition is now planning to give a notice for moving a resolution to remove Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla from office for disallowing Rahul Gandhi and other opposition leaders from speaking in the House as well as for the suspension of eight MPs.