The controversy surrounding former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane’s memoir, Four Stars of Destiny, has intensified, with its publisher Penguin Random House India (PRHI) asserting that the book has not yet been published.
In a statement, PRHI said it holds the exclusive publishing rights to the memoir and clarified that no copies—either in print or digital form—have been released to the public. The publisher also warned of legal action against any unauthorised circulation of the material.
“Penguin Random House India would like to clarify that we hold the sole publishing rights for the book 'Four Stars of Destiny', a memoir by General Manoj Mukund Naravane, former Chief of the Indian Army. We wish to make it clear that the book has not gone into publication,” the statement said.
PRHI further cautioned that any version of the book currently circulating, whether in full or in part, and in any format—including print, PDF, or online copies—would constitute copyright infringement.
“Any copies of the book currently in circulation, in whole or in part, whether in print, digital, PDF, or any other format, online or offline, on any platform, constitutes an infringement of PRHI's copyright and must immediately be ceased,” the publisher said.
The statement came a day after Delhi Police filed an FIR over the alleged illegal circulation of the manuscript in digital and other formats. The Special Cell said it took cognisance of information circulating on social media claiming that a soft copy of the memoir was being shared.
The issue gained political attention last week after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen displaying a purported copy of the book in the Parliament complex while attacking the Narendra Modi government over its alleged contents.