Delhi Police Files FIR Over Circulation Of Ex-Army Chief's Unpublished Book

The Delhi police have filed a First Information Report (FIR) over the circulation of an unpublished book of ex-Army chief General MM Naravane. Authorities were alerted to posts suggesting that the book 'Four Stars of Destiny' was being shared and promoted despite not having received the mandatory clearance from the competent authorities.

According to police sources, a preliminary verification exercise revealed that a PDF copy of a typeset manuscript bearing the same title is available on certain websites. The document appears to have been prepared by Penguin Random House India Pvt. Ltd., though officials are yet to confirm its authenticity. Investigators also found that some online marketing and retail platforms had displayed the cover of the book, presenting it in a manner that suggested it was already available for purchase.

Officials say the matter is being treated seriously as it could involve a breach related to the unauthorised dissemination of material linked to a publication pending approval. The possibility of copyright violations, illegal distribution, or other lapses will form part of the probe.

In view of the sensitivity of the issue, a formal case has been registered, and the investigation has been handed over to the Special Cell of Delhi Police. Teams will now work to trace the origin of the alleged leak, identify those responsible for uploading or circulating the material, and determine how the manuscript reached public platforms before clearance.

Police have indicated that further action will follow based on the findings of the investigation.

In a late-night statement, Penguin Random House, the publisher of the book, underlined that no copies of the book have been published or made available to the public.

Statement from the publisher. pic.twitter.com/pksacg3EeT

— Penguin India (@PenguinIndia) February 9, 2026

Political Row Over The Book

This comes a week after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen flashing a purported copy of the book in the Parliament complex.

Rahul Gandhi was also disallowed by the Chair from quoting from an article based on excerpts of the unpublished memoir, which has alleged references to the India-China conflict of 2020.

The matter sparked a huge political row, with the proceedings of the Lok Sabha getting disrupted and eight MPs getting suspended over the issue for the remaining part of the ongoing Budget session.

"The government did not want me to talk about it, so they stalled the House. They did not let me speak. That happened 3-4 times. First, they said I cannot quote a book, then I said I am not quoting a book, I am quoting a magazine. Then they said you cannot quote a magazine. Then I said I would speak about it. They did not want me to speak about it," he said.