Even as one of the authors of the controversial books remains untraceable, the counter-intelligence wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police has arrested three publishers in connection with the ongoing investigation into the introduction of pro-terrorist and pro-separatist books into the curriculum of schools across the Union Territory.
Reports said that sleuths of the counter-intelligence wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police conducted coordinated operations in Jammu and Delhi as part of the investigation into the controversy surrounding certain books.
The arrests are part of a broader investigation into the publication and distribution of books deemed to contain “highly inappropriate content”. Investigators are scrutinising the publishers’ roles in printing and distributing the material, officials said.
As reported earlier, on July 4, the counter-intelligence unit registered an FIR under Sections 49 (abetment), 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 152 (endangering the sovereignty, unity and integrity of India), 196 (promoting enmity and disharmony), and 353 (publishing or circulating false statements, rumours, or reports) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), besides Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The action was taken after two books found in government libraries were reported to have glorified separatist leaders.
The books in question are titled Personalities and Legends of J&K, authored by Hilal Ahmed and Santosh Meena and published by the Jammu-based Oberoi Book Service, and Great Personalities of Jammu and Kashmir, authored by Sushant Giri and published by the Delhi-based Anurag Prakashan.
The three publishers arrested include Inder Paul of Oberoi Book Service and Amardeep Singh and Girish Arora of Noida-based Dominant Publishers.
Earlier, both Oberoi Book Service and Dominant Publishers had been blacklisted by the government. Counter-intelligence teams conducted raids on their premises on July 6.
Investigations are continuing, and officials expect more arrests in the coming days.
According to officials, 123 copies of one of the books were distributed to schools in the Jammu, Ramban, and Udhampur districts, while 128 copies of the other book were supplied to schools in the Jammu and Baramulla districts.
On July 4, Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha suspended eight officials of the School Education Department, dismissed a contractual staff member, and ordered an inquiry into the two controversial books, which were found to contain “highly inappropriate content”.
One author remains untraceable
Eight days after the Jammu and Kashmir administration banned the controversial textbook Personalities and Legends of J&K, one of its co-authors remains untraceable.
Reports said that the counter-intelligence wing of the J&K Police has launched an intensive manhunt to trace Hilal Ahmed, who allegedly glorified convicted terrorists and separatist figures in the government-approved school textbook.
Official sources said the textbook carries the names of two authors—Hilal Ahmed and Santosh Meena. While Meena has been traced to Rajasthan, Ahmed has disappeared without leaving any trace.
“It is still not known whether Hilal Ahmed actually exists or whether the name is fictitious,” a source told this correspondent, adding a new dimension to the investigation. Investigators are now not only searching for the missing author but are also trying to ascertain whether such a person exists at all.
The controversy erupted after the book was found to contain content allegedly glorifying terrorists and separatist leaders, with several passages reportedly lifted verbatim from Pakistani propaganda literature.
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