Delhi Police Investigates Leak of Former Army Chief's Memoir, 'Four Stars of Destiny'

Delhi Police on Monday registered a case over the alleged leak of a pre-publication copy of Four Stars of Destiny , the memoir of former Army Chief General Manoj Naravane, after reports surfaced that the book was circulating online without mandatory clearances. According to the police, they took cognisance of information found on social media platforms and news forums claiming that a pre-print version of the book was in circulation, even though official approval for its publication had not yet been granted by the competent authorities. During verification, investigators found that a PDF version of a typeset book bearing the same title, apparently prepared by publisher Penguin Random House India Pvt. Ltd., was available on certain websites. In addition, some online marketing platforms were found displaying the finished book cover as if the title were available for purchase. In view of the suspected breach and unauthorised circulation of an unpublished work, Delhi Police said a case has been registered with the Special Cell and a detailed investigation is underway to ascertain the source of the leak and the extent of the violation. Four Stars of Destiny is a memoir chronicling nearly four decades of General Naravane’s service in the Indian Army, tracing his journey from a Second Lieutenant to Chief of the Army Staff. The book reportedly offers insights into key moments of his career, including India’s most serious military standoff with China since the 1962 conflict. Penguin Random House India is the publisher of the memoir. The controversy surrounding the book gained attention during the post-Budget session of Parliament. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi was set to move the Motion of Thanks on the Union Budget, Lok Sabha proceedings were disrupted after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi read out portions of a magazine article said to be based on General Naravane’s unpublished memoir. Though Gandhi spoke for only a few minutes, his remarks drew sharp reactions from the BJP leadership. Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh accused the Leader of the Opposition of citing material from an unpublished book. Singh questioned the propriety of referring to content that had not formally entered the public domain. Within days, Gandhi returned to Parliament holding a copy of Four Stars of Destiny, saying he intended to “gift it to the Prime Minister", further fuelling the political controversy.