Former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday addressed the controversy surrounding his memoir Four Stars of Destiny, sharing a clarification from Penguin Random House India and writing on X, “This is the status.” By reposting the publisher’s statement, the retired general backed its claim that the book has not been published and that no authorised copies are in circulation.
Penguin Random House India, in its first official clarification, said it holds exclusive publishing rights to the memoir and confirmed that the book has not gone into publication. The publisher stated that no copies — printed or digital — have been released, distributed or sold. It also warned that any version currently circulating, in full or in part, would amount to copyright infringement and that legal action could follow against those responsible for unauthorised sharing.
The clarification came after Delhi Police registered an FIR over the alleged circulation of an unpublished version of the book on social media. The issue gained attention after India Today Digital questioned how Congress leader Rahul Gandhi appeared to have access to what was described as an unpublished manuscript.
Penguin’s Second Clarification
As the row intensified, Penguin issued another statement reiterating that Four Stars of Destiny is yet to be published. It sought to clear confusion over publishing terminology, explaining that announcing a book, opening pre-orders and officially publishing it are three different stages.
According to the publisher, a book is considered “published” only when it is formally released and made available for purchase across retail platforms. The statement said the aim was to explain standard publishing procedures and avoid further misunderstanding.
Police Investigation Underway
In a statement on Monday, Delhi Police said it had taken note of information circulating online claiming that a pre-print copy of the book was being shared without mandatory clearance from the competent authorities.
During preliminary checks, police found that a PDF version of a typeset manuscript — reportedly prepared by Penguin Random House India Pvt Ltd — was available on certain websites. Some online platforms had also displayed the finished book cover as if the title was available for sale, even though it had not received the required approvals.
A case has now been registered with the Special Cell to probe the alleged leak or unauthorised circulation of the yet-to-be-cleared manuscript. The investigation is ongoing.
Political Row in Parliament
The controversy spilled into Parliament after Rahul Gandhi was seen holding up what he claimed was a copy of the book inside the Parliament complex. The incident led to repeated disruptions in the Lok Sabha, and eight MPs were suspended for the remainder of the Budget session.
The FIR was filed hours after reports suggested that Gandhi had accessed an unpublished manuscript that required clearance from the Ministry of Defence. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh later stated that no such clearance had been granted.
On Monday, Gandhi alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi avoided replying to the discussion on the motion of thanks to the President’s address because he was “scared” of the issue linked to Naravane’s book.
Current Status
Reaffirming its stand, Penguin Random House India has maintained that Four Stars of Destiny has not yet been published. It emphasised that a book is considered published only once it is officially released and made available for sale. The publisher said it remains committed to transparency in its publishing process.