Tamil Nadu pulls 70,674 library books in fake-publisher probe
A Madras High Court order triggered a DVAC probe and statewide audit after researchers found fabricated authors and mismatched ISBNs tied to two untraceable publishers.
Public libraries across Tamil Nadu stocked hundreds of fake titles tied to two previously unheard-of publishers, Phoenix 2023 and Agal Vilakku Pathippagam, according to the outlet. Cross-checks of ISBN records found numbers that belonged to entirely different books and authors, or did not exist at all, and many titles contained factual and historical errors that led writers and scholars to suspect AI involvement. The outlet could not trace either publisher to any location.
Writer Perumal Murugan first raised the alarm on November 6 over books at Coimbatore's Periyar Arivulagam library, identifying nearly 1,800 suspect titles from Agal Vilakku Pathippagam and more than 100 from Phoenix 2023. Days later, researchers Sathishkumar S and Premkumar R flagged hundreds of Phoenix 2023 English-language books bought for Madurai's Kalaignar Centenary Library in 2022, including one whose ISBN returned a completely different title and author. On November 8, economist Jean Dreze denied writing a book attributed to him in some libraries.
Following a Madras High Court order on November 11, the DVAC opened a probe and the state government ordered an audit of all public libraries, which has so far resulted in 70,674 books being removed. The ruling TVK and School Education Minister A Rajmohan have blamed the previous DMK government for procurement irregularities; the DMK has denied the allegations.
Here's the nightmare scenario for any working author: your name, or one that looks like it, ends up stamped on a book you never wrote, sitting on a public library shelf, bought with public money. Economist Jean Dreze had to publicly deny writing a book attributed to him. That's not a typo in a catalogue, that's identity theft with an ISBN attached. If you've ever had a title, cover, or author credit go sideways in a library or distributor system, this is your reminder to check your own ISBN records now, not after 70,674 books get pulled from shelves.
From the Coral Wire edition of Sat, Nov 14 2026 · Coral Index 69/100 (Tailwinds building)