In his first reaction since the controversy erupted over his unpublished memoir Four Stars of Destiny, former Army Chief General (Retd) MM Naravane has backed the position taken by publisher Penguin Random House India (PRHI). Naravane shared the publisher’s statement on his official X handle, stating, “This is the status of the book.” Earlier, PRHI clarified that announcing a book or making it available for pre-order is not the same as publication.
Publisher Says Memoir Not Published
The publisher said the memoir has not gone into publication and that no copies, in print or digital form, have been published, distributed, or sold. It warned that any circulation of the book would amount to copyright infringement. The publisher has been under scrutiny following reports of alleged circulation of PDF copies of the memoir, which is yet to receive mandatory clearances.
Police Probe Illegal Memoir Circulation
Delhi Police is currently probing the alleged illegal circulation of the copies. The controversy escalated after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cited purported excerpts from the book while targeting the government in the Lok Sabha. In a detailed clarification, PRHI said it holds the sole publishing rights for Four Stars of Destiny. It stressed that any copies currently circulating, whether print, digital, PDF or any other format, would constitute copyright infringement and could invite legal action.
Penguin Asserts Exclusive Publishing Rights
The publisher also released a guide explaining publishing stages, stating that an announced book, a pre-order listing and a published book are different. It said a book is considered published only when it is available for purchase through retail channels, reiterating its commitment to transparency.