Delhi Police have issued a notice to Penguin Random House India in connection with the alleged leak of former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane’s unpublished memoir, ‘Four Stars of Destiny’. The action follows the registration of an FIR after portions of the book reportedly surfaced online without official clearance.
According to officials, the case was filed after a pre-publication version of the memoir was allegedly circulated in digital format. Investigators are now examining how the manuscript was accessed and shared, and whether any laws related to criminal conspiracy or copyright violation were breached. The Special Cell of Delhi Police is handling the probe.
The controversy has also drawn attention because the book had not yet received formal clearance from the Ministry of Defence, a requirement for publications by former senior military officials that may contain sensitive material. Authorities are looking into whether established protocols were followed before excerpts appeared in the public domain.
Penguin Random House India has stated that it holds the exclusive rights to publish the memoir but has not released, distributed, or sold the book in any format. The publisher clarified that any version currently in circulation is unauthorised and amounts to copyright infringement. It added that it is prepared to take appropriate legal steps against those responsible for the leak.
General Naravane responded to the row by sharing the publisher’s statement publicly, noting that this reflects the current status of the book. His response underlined that the memoir has not been officially published.
The issue briefly became a political flashpoint after excerpts from the unpublished manuscript were referred to during proceedings in Parliament, triggering objections and procedural disruptions.
As the investigation continues, police are working to trace the origin of the leaked document and determine accountability. No arrests have been reported so far.
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