NEW DELHI — The Delhi Police Special Cell has started a criminal investigation into the online leak of “Four Stars of Destiny”, the unreleased autobiography of former Army Chief General MM Naravane.
An FIR was registered on Monday after a pre-print PDF of the book was found circulating on WhatsApp and social media. The leaked file appears to be a final typeset version prepared by Penguin Random House. The leak has triggered a major political row and recently disrupted Parliament proceedings.
What the Police Are Investigating
The police suspect a serious breach of rules that apply to military memoirs. Their probe is focusing on:
Digital trail: Cyber experts are trying to find out who first uploaded the PDF and whether it leaked from the publisher, official reviewers, or another source.
Online listings: Some e-commerce websites briefly listed the book with a finished cover, making it look like the book was cleared for sale.
Security clearance: The book is still awaiting approval from the Ministry of Defence. Sharing it before clearance may violate defence rules.
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Who lodged the FIR?
The FIR was registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell on its own initiative, a process known as taking suo motu cognisance, after the leaked PDF began circulating online.
What Happened in Parliament
The case comes days after chaos in the Lok Sabha. Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi displayed a physical copy of the manuscript and accused the Prime Minister of weak leadership during the 2020 Galwan Valley clash.
The government said the book has not been officially published and “does not exist” in legal terms. The standoff led to the suspension of eight opposition MPs for the rest of the Budget Session.
Possible Legal Trouble Ahead
The FIR is currently against “unknown persons,” but the investigation could also examine how the publisher handled the manuscript.
Under Indian rules, retired military officers cannot publish sensitive information without defence approval. Violations can lead to legal action under the Official Secrets Act, including fines or even pension-related penalties.
General Naravane has earlier said that securing publication permissions is the publisher’s responsibility. So far, neither he nor Penguin Random House has made a new statement after the FIR was filed.
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