Former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane has, for the first time since the controversy erupted over his memoir, endorsed the stand taken by his publisher, Penguin Random House India (PRHI), that the book has not yet been published.
Sharing a statement issued by Penguin, General Naravane said, “This is the status of the book,” effectively backing the publisher’s clarification amid a political row over the alleged circulation of unauthorised copies of the memoir.
Earlier in the day, Penguin Random House India reiterated that it holds the sole publishing rights to Four Stars of Destiny, a memoir by the former Army Chief, and asserted that the book has not gone into publication.
The publisher said no copies, in print or digital form, have been published, distributed, sold, or otherwise made available to the public.
The clarification followed reports of PDF versions of the memoir allegedly circulating, even as the manuscript is yet to receive mandatory clearance from the Ministry of Defence.
The Delhi Police is currently probing the circulation of the purported copies. The controversy escalated after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi cited excerpts from the memoir during a debate in the Lok Sabha to criticise the government.
In its statement, Penguin said that any copies currently in circulation, “in whole or in part, whether in print, digital, PDF, or any other format”, would constitute an infringement of its copyright. It added that it would pursue legal remedies against any illegal or unauthorised dissemination of the book.
The publisher also released a brief explainer on the publishing process, stressing that an announcement of a book, its availability for pre-order, and its publication are distinct stages.
“An announced book or a book available for pre-order is not the same as a published book,” Penguin said. It explained that pre-orders allow readers and retailers to place advance orders, but the book is considered published only when it is available for purchase through retail channels.
“We remain committed to clarity and transparency in the books we publish,” the publisher said.
