Delhi Police’s Special Cell has issued notices to Penguin Random House India regarding the autobiography of former Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane, titled Four Stars of Destiny. Authorities expressed concern that the book contains sensitive national security information, including details about the 2020 Galwan Valley clashes with Chinese forces in Eastern Ladakh.
In the autobiography, General Naravane elaborates on Indian Army strategies during the Galwan confrontation, internal communication between the government and military under challenging conditions, and his views on the implementation of the Agnipath scheme. The revelations have drawn scrutiny as retired senior defense officials are required to seek government clearance before disclosing information related to national security.
The situation escalated after soft copies of the book appeared online and on e-commerce platforms prior to receiving official clearance from the Defence Ministry. This premature availability has triggered questions regarding the source of the leak, how the content became publicly accessible, and what measures the publisher had implemented to secure sensitive information.
Penguin Random House responded to the notices, stating that it has not printed the book and that all online versions circulating are unauthorized and not leaked from their organization. The publisher emphasized that the autobiography will only be officially released after receiving clearance from the government.
Given the book’s inclusion of sensitive material related to China-India border disputes, the Defence Ministry is reviewing the content thoroughly. Until formal approval is granted, the book’s official market release remains on hold, and authorities continue to investigate how the unauthorized copies were disseminated online.