FIR filed over circulation of Gen Naravane's unpublished memoir
Investigation follows the circulation of an unapproved pre-print copy of 'Four Stars of Destiny', which Rahul Gandhi displayed in Parliament last week
An FIR has been registered over the circulation of an unpublished memoir of former Army chief Gen MM Naravane on social media, Delhi Police said on Monday (February 9).
"The Delhi Police has taken cognisance of information circulating on social media platforms and online news forums claiming that a pre-print copy of a book titled Four Stars of Destiny is being circulated without mandatory clearance from competent authorities," the statement said.
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Necessary clearance for publication of this book is yet to be received from the relevant authorities, the statement noted.
Probe on leak
"Upon verification, it was found that a PDF copy of a type-set book with the same title and apparently prepared by M/s Penguin Random House India Pvt Ltd is available on certain websites and, also, some online marketing platforms have displayed the finished book cover as if it is available for purchase," it read.
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The police said a case has been registered with the Special Cell in order to carry out a thorough investigation into this purported leak or breach of a yet-to-be-approved publication and an investigation is being taken up.
How did Rahul get the book?
The memoir drew attention after Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi was seen displaying a purported copy in the Parliament complex last week. During the Motion of Thanks in the ongoing Budget Session, he began citing excerpts from the unpublished book before being stopped from speaking.
The episode has sparked questions over how Rahul accessed the book, which is still awaiting clearance from the Ministry of Defence.
Also read: Will Naravane’s memoir row trigger another prolonged stalemate in Parliament?
A search on the book throws up links on online shopping platforms Amazon and Flipkart, and Penguin Random House India but when the links are clicked, the pages seem to have been removed.
(With agency inputs)