Penguin Random House India Clarifies Status of Manoj Naravane’s Memoir
Penguin Random House India (PRHI) on Monday said that the memoir Four Stars of Destiny by former Army Chief Manoj Mukund Naravane has not been published. The publisher clarified that any copies currently in circulation are unauthorised and illegal.
PRHI stated that it has not released, distributed, sold, or made the book available to the public in any format. This includes both print and digital versions.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), PRHI said it holds the sole publishing rights for Four Stars of Destiny. However, it stressed that the book is yet to be officially published.
“No copies of the book — in print or digital form — have been published, distributed, sold, or otherwise made available to the public by Penguin Random House India,” the publisher said.
Warning Against Unauthorised Copies
The clarification comes after reports that excerpts and possible copies of the manuscript are circulating. PRHI warned that sharing the material, either fully or in part, is a violation of copyright law.
The warning applies to all formats, including printed copies, digital files, PDFs, and any online or offline versions.
“Any copies of the book currently in circulation constitute an infringement of PRHI’s copyright and must immediately be ceased,” the statement said. The publisher added that it will take legal action against any illegal and unauthorised sharing of the work.
No Release Date Confirmed
PRHI did not mention when the memoir is expected to be released. It also did not comment on the nature of the material currently circulating or confirm whether legal notices have already been issued.
The publisher said the statement was issued to place its position “on record” and to take a firm stand against unauthorised sharing ahead of the book’s official publication.
Police Investigation Underway
General Manoj Mukund Naravane served as the Chief of the Army Staff from December 2019 to April 2022.
According to the Delhi Police, a case has been registered with the Special Cell to investigate the alleged leak or breach of a publication that has not yet been approved. A detailed investigation is currently underway.
Political Reference in Parliament
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was seen holding a purported copy of the book in the Parliament complex last week. He has sought to quote excerpts from the memoir in the Lok Sabha since February 2.
However, he has been stopped from doing so, as the book has not yet been officially published.
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