Over 20,000 illegal books seized in crackdown

A major anti-piracy operation in Delhi has led to the seizure of more than 20,000 pirated books, in what is being described as one of the largest recent crackdowns on organised book piracy in India, according to a press release shared by Penguin Random House on its official website.

The raid, carried out by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police in Rohini, was conducted in collaboration with Penguin Random House India, Simon & Schuster India and Hay House, following detailed intelligence inputs. The nearly 24-hour operation targeted multiple warehouses as well as an illegal printing press, which has since been sealed.

Authorities confirmed that the action resulted in the arrest of an accused identified as Jwala Prasad, described as a repeat offender. A case has been registered under relevant provisions of the Copyright Act, with preliminary findings pointing to a well-organised syndicate engaged in the illegal printing, storage and distribution of pirated books.

The seized material included unauthorised copies of bestselling and newly released titles from both Indian and international publishing lists. Authors whose works were found among the confiscated stock include Daniel Kahneman, Arundhati Roy, Simon Sinek, Yuval Noah Harari, Haruki Murakami and James Clear, underlining the scale and commercial impact of the operation.

Commenting on the raid and efforts to curb piracy, Manoj Satti, SVP- product, sales and Marketing, Penguin Random House India, says, "Piracy is not a victimless crime—it directly impacts authors, publishers, readers and the broader creative ecosystem. This operation sends a clear and unequivocal message: We will continue to pursue and act against piracy networks with full force. We are grateful for the decisive action by the enforcement authorities and our partners at Simon & Schuster India in this effort. Such a collaboration highlights the importance of collective industry action in tackling piracy. By working together, we can more effectively identify and dismantle illegal networks that undermine the value of books and the efforts of those who create them."

Commenting on the raid, Jyoti Taneja, counsel for Penguin Random House India, says, "This operation sends a clear message that organized book piracy will be met with firm and sustained enforcement action. We remain committed to working closely with enforcement agencies to protect the rights of authors and publishers and to ensure that such illegal networks are effectively dismantled."

The publishers involved described the raid as a significant disruption to local piracy supply chains and emphasised the importance of coordinated industry action. The operation forms part of ongoing anti-piracy efforts that combine intelligence gathering, legal enforcement and collaboration across stakeholders to counter illegal networks.

The companies also acknowledged the role of Delhi Police in executing the operation, noting that sustained enforcement and partnerships would be critical to deterring future piracy activity and protecting intellectual property rights in the Indian publishing market.

The bigger issue 

Concerns around book piracy are not limited to physical supply chains, with eCommerce platforms in India also facing growing criticism from authors and publishers over the sale of counterfeit titles.

Recent discussions on X highlight the scale and persistence of the issue. Author and investor Samir Arora flagged a case where a purchased book featured a misspelt title on its spine, raising questions over quality control and authenticity. The issue has also drawn attention from prominent authors like Shashi Tharoor who had previously criticised major platforms, stating that pirated copies of his books were being sold through online marketplaces, sometimes outpacing legitimate sales.

Alex Xu, co-founder of ByteByteGo, claimed that pirated editions of his titles were being sold on Amazon India despite repeated copyright complaints, adding that “100%” of his books listed on the platform were counterfeit. He noted that the issue not only diverts revenue from creators but also results in poor-quality copies and negative reviews being incorrectly attributed to original listings.

Similar concerns have been raised globally. Author Scott Hershovitz previously highlighted how pirated versions of his work appeared on Amazon, citing formatting issues and misleading listings that made it difficult for readers to distinguish between genuine and counterfeit editions. Industry observers point to systemic vulnerabilities in large online marketplaces, where third-party sellers and self-publishing tools can be exploited. 

The Delhi crackdown reflects a broader shift towards coordinated enforcement between publishers and authorities, but industry stakeholders caution that tackling piracy will require sustained intervention across both offline and online channels.