Explained: This article explains the political background, key decisions, and possible outcomes related to Explained : Delhi Police notice to Penguin Random House India over Naravane book and Its Impact and why it matters right now.
The Delhi Police Special Cell has issued a notice to Penguin Random House India seeking clarification over the circulation of the supposedly ‘unpublished’ memoir of former Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane (retd), officials said on Wednesday, placing the publishing house at the centre of an investigation into the alleged unauthorised dissemination of the manuscript.
The notice follows an earlier suo motu action initiated by the police after copies of the yet-to-be released memoir surfaced on social media and messaging platforms, triggering concerns about potential legal violations and the handling of sensitive material. Acting on those reports, authorities registered an FIR and began examining how the document may have entered circulation prior to publication.
According to officials, the Special Cell has now formally approached the publisher with a set of queries aimed at establishing the chain of custody of the manuscript, its security protocols, and whether any authorised or inadvertent distribution could have occurred. “Delhi Police Special Cell has issued a notice to Penguin India. Through the notice, several questions have been asked, and responses have been sought,” a senior officer said.
The controversy centres on Naravane’s memoir, Four Stars of Destiny, which recounts his tenure as Army chief and touches on national-security and strategic decision-making issues, including the 2020 standoff with China along the Line of Actual Control.