Conspiracy probe in Naravane book leak case; notice sent to publisher

New Delhi (PTI): Delhi Police has added criminal conspiracy charges to its probe into the alleged circulation of former Army chief General M M Naravane's unpublished book and issued a notice to its publisher, Penguin Random House India, seeking clarification on the leak, an official said on Wednesday.

The case, being investigated by the Special Cell of Delhi Police, pertains to the alleged unauthorised circulation of the book's PDF version on social media and other online platforms prior to its publication.

A senior police officer said the investigation is now focused on ascertaining whether there was a criminal conspiracy behind the alleged leak and subsequent dissemination of the manuscript across digital platforms.

"Delhi Police Special Cell has issued a notice to Penguin Random House India. Through the notice, several questions have been asked and detailed responses have been sought, including how the unpublished manuscript was allegedly leaked," the officer said.

A Special Cell team has also visited the Penguin's office.

According to police, online posts and media reports have claimed that a pre-print version of the book was being shared online despite it not being granted the mandatory clearances required for publication.

During verification, police found that a PDF copy of a typeset book bearing the same title was available on certain websites.

"The document appeared to have been prepared by M/s Penguin Random House India Pvt Ltd. Additionally, some online marketing platforms were displaying the finished book cover, suggesting that the book was available for purchase," police said in a statement.

The Special Cell has constituted a dedicated team led by an Assistant Commissioner of Police to probe the matter. Another team is collecting details of the social media platforms that allegedly hosted or shared the purported PDF, and these platforms may be called for scrutiny in the coming days, he said.

The FIR was registered on Monday after allegations surfaced regarding the unauthorised dissemination of the manuscript. Investigators are examining the source of the PDF, the circumstances under which it was uploaded or circulated, and whether any laws relating to publication, copyright or official clearances were violated.

The controversy surrounding the book intensified after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi read out excerpts from the memoir in the Lok Sabha, triggering a political row.

In a statement posted on X, Penguin Random House India said, "We wish to make it clear that the book has not gone into publication. No copies of the book --” in print or digital form --” have been published, distributed, sold or otherwise made available to the public by Penguin Random House India." The matter remains under investigation, police said.