Although investigating agencies have tightened their grip on the controversial book Personalities and Legends of J&K, one of its authors remains untraceable as authorities continue efforts to verify his identity and credentials.
As reported earlier, the controversial book, which was approved by experts of the School Education Department and subsequently banned by the Jammu and Kashmir government on Saturday, portrays several convicted terrorists and separatist leaders as “great” personalities and “legends” of Jammu and Kashmir.
The textbook was authored by two individuals—Hilal Ahmed and Santosh Meena. While Santosh Meena has reportedly been traced to Rajasthan, the whereabouts and identity of Hilal Ahmed remain unknown.
“It is still not known whether Hilal Ahmed actually exists or whether the name is fictitious,” sources said.
Meanwhile, a joint team comprising the police, Counter Intelligence (CI), the civil administration, and the School Education Department raided the Bahu Plaza office of the book’s publisher, Oberoi Books Service, and seized important documents, computer records, and other evidence. The team also examined other books stored in the publisher’s warehouse, seized several copies, and began scrutinising their contents.
In another development, the CI Wing of the Jammu and Kashmir Police has registered an FIR under various serious provisions of the law, including charges related to incitement to commit an offence, criminal conspiracy, endangering the sovereignty, unity, and integrity of India, promoting enmity between different communities, and publishing or disseminating false statements, rumours, or reports.
Additionally, Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has been invoked, further increasing the gravity of the case.
According to sources, following Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha’s directive for a high-level investigation, multiple agencies are probing how the controversial book was published, at what level it was approved for government procurement, and the process through which it reached government school libraries under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan. During the raid, officials also examined documents related to procurement, payments, contracts, approvals, and distribution.
Other published books also under the radar
The focus of the investigating agencies is no longer limited to this book. The contents of other books published by the same publisher are also being scrutinised to ensure they do not contain any anti-national, misleading, or objectionable material. To this end, copies of several publications are being seized for examination by experts.
Preliminary investigations have revealed that the controversial book was distributed to government school libraries under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan.
Following the discovery of content allegedly glorifying terrorists and separatist leaders, the government immediately ordered the withdrawal of all copies of the book from government schools. So far, eight officials and supervisory staff have been suspended in connection with the case, while the services of one contractual employee have been terminated. The process of blacklisting the authors and the publisher has also been initiated.
Officials said the scope of the investigation is being continuously expanded. If any official, employee, author, publisher, or other entity involved in the book’s procurement, approval, or distribution is found responsible, strict administrative and legal action will be taken. Investigating agencies believe that more significant revelations may emerge during the course of the investigation.
As reported earlier, the book titled Personalities and Legends of J&K sparked a major controversy after it allegedly contained content glorifying terrorists and separatist leaders and included passages that officials claim were reproduced from Pakistani propaganda material.
Sources said the union government has taken an “extremely serious view” of the inclusion of content allegedly lifted verbatim from Pakistani publications in a textbook meant for government schools in Jammu and Kashmir. The book was published, procured, and distributed during the 2025–26 academic session under the Centrally Sponsored Samagra Shiksha programme.
The textbook describes several separatist leaders, including JKLF co-founder Maqbool Bhat, Syed Ali Shah Geelani, Masarat Alam, and Shabir Shah, as “legendary personalities”. It also reportedly refers to Maqbool Bhat as “Shaheed” and describes separatist figures as “freedom fighters.”
Officials further alleged that the book refers to Jammu and Kashmir as “Indian Occupied Kashmir” and “Indian Held Kashmir”, terminology commonly associated with Pakistan’s official narrative.
The publication lists two authors—one from Kashmir and another from Jammu—and was published by a Jammu-based publishing house before being procured in bulk for distribution in government schools.
As reported earlier, the Jammu and Kashmir government already suspended eight officials of the School Education Department over the procurement and approval of two books containing “highly inappropriate” and “separatism-related” content for government school libraries.
The suspended officials are Coordinator Library Fazil Imran Saddiqui; Assistant Coordinator Gurjeet Singh; Government Higher Secondary School Kore Pannu Principal Sanjeev Sharma; SCERT Jammu Academic Officer Shazia Kouser; Lecturer Imtiyaz Ahmad Mir; Lecturer Niranjan Sharma; Lecturer Renu Mengi; and Lecturer Rajmohini.
The government also disengaged contractual computer assistant Sheikh Suheel Ahmad, who had been assisting the library coordinator, with immediate effect.
The government also appointed Financial Commissioner (Additional Chief Secretary) Power Development Department Ashwani Kumar, as the inquiry officer to investigate the matter, while Additional Secretary, General Administration Department, Rohit Sharma, was appointed as the presenting officer. The inquiry officer has been directed to submit the report within 30 days.
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