Delhi Police issues notice to Penguin India over leak of Gen Naravane’s unpublished book

New Delhi: The Delhi Police Special Cell has issued a formal notice to Penguin India in connection with the alleged leak of the unpublished autobiography of former Army Chief General M.M. Naravane.

According to police sources, the publishing house has emerged as the “number one suspect” in the case. The Special Cell has registered a First Information Report (FIR) under charges of criminal conspiracy after portions of the book and its PDF version reportedly surfaced in the public domain even before its official release.

Investigators believe the leak involved confidential material that should have remained strictly within the publication process. Police officials stated that the notice sent to Penguin India seeks detailed explanations on several crucial aspects related to the handling of the manuscript.

The publisher has been asked to cooperate fully with the investigation and provide information on who had access to the draft, how many copies were created, and what security protocols were in place.

The controversy revolves around General Naravane’s memoirs, which are yet to be formally published. However, excerpts from the book containing sensitive and politically significant observations have already been widely circulated.

This has raised serious questions about how classified content from an unreleased book could reach the public. According to sources in the Special Cell, the investigation is currently focused on determining at what stage the confidential data was leaked and who was responsible for it.

“At this point, Penguin India appears to be the primary link in the chain. We need to establish how the protected manuscript or its digital version got out,” a senior police officer said.

The notice reportedly includes multiple queries regarding the internal processes followed by the publisher. Authorities want to know the number of people involved in editing and printing, the storage of digital files, and whether any external agencies were given access to the material.

Meanwhile, General Naravane has publicly clarified that his autobiography has not yet been officially released. He has also extended support to his publishers, stating that the leak was unfortunate and should be thoroughly investigated to identify the real culprits.

Legal experts point out that leaking unpublished literary content can amount to breach of trust and violation of copyright laws. If evidence of deliberate conspiracy emerges, those involved could face serious criminal charges.

Police believe that a detailed probe will expose the entire network behind the leak. Investigators are also examining whether the incident was an internal breach or part of a larger attempt to create controversy through selective disclosure of sensitive information.

The case has generated significant attention as General Naravane’s tenure as Army Chief included several critical national security developments. Any unauthorized disclosure from his memoir is therefore being treated as a matter of serious concern.

Further action will be taken based on the response from Penguin India and the findings of the ongoing investigation, police officials said.

Also Read: PAN card rules change: Check major changes effect from April 1