Publisher Penguin Random House India has today given a new clarification in the ongoing controversy regarding former Army Chief General MM Naravane’s book ‘Four Stars of Destiny’. On February 10, 2026, the company said that the book has not been published yet and it will be considered published only when it is available for sale on retail platforms.
What has Penguin said in the new clarification?
Penguin Random House India today clarified that the company holds the sole publishing rights for the book ‘Four Stars of Destiny’. The book has not been published yet. No copy (print or digital) has been published, distributed, sold or made publicly available. Pre-order listing or announcement of this book does not constitute publication. Pre-order is a common process in which people can order in advance, but the book is not published until it is available for sale in stores or on online platforms.
The company said, ‘An announced book, a pre-ordered book and a published book are three different things. If any copy (print, PDF, digital etc.) is circulating somewhere, it is copyright infringement. The company will take legal action against such copies.
Penguin had earlier also given a statement on Monday that the book has not gone into the process of publication. Today’s clarification has come in response to Rahul Gandhi’s questions.
BJP ridiculed Rahul
BJP leader Shehzad Poonawala attacked Rahul Gandhi. He said that Rahul is not understanding the difference between pre-order and published book. Poonawala asked how Rahul got this book? Is this not a violation of the Copyright Act and Official Secrets Act? He accused Rahul of misleading the country, making false allegations against Defense Minister Rajnath Singh and creating ruckus in Parliament.
What is the current status of the book?
The book has not been officially published yet. There were pre-order links on Amazon, Flipkart etc, but have been removed now. There are reports of digital or print copies being leaked, on which Delhi Police has registered an FIR and investigation is underway. General Naravane had earlier said that the book was awaiting the approval of the Defense Ministry.
This controversy has become the cause of uproar in Parliament. The opposition (Congress) says that the book contains inconvenient truth for the government, while the government and BJP are calling it a political stunt. With Penguin’s clarification, the question now is, where did the leaked copies come from and how did Rahul Gandhi get the book?
