Authorities have found and removed 1,580 books described as counterfeit from central, branch and rural libraries in Tamil Nadu’s Tiruvallur and Tiruvarur districts following a 10-day inspection, according to a report by Dinamalar. The books were identified among titles supplied by Akalvilakku and Phoenix publishing houses.
The inspection follows allegations that counterfeit books had been procured for the Eevera Arivulagam in Coimbatore. The controversy reportedly intensified after claims that some books had been written using artificial intelligence technology. Thousands of books associated with the two publishing houses were seized in connection with the Coimbatore case, the report said.
With concerns that similar books may have been purchased for libraries across Tamil Nadu, officials began examining libraries that had received titles from Akalvilakku and Phoenix. The latest inspection covered central, branch and rural libraries in Tiruvallur and Tiruvarur districts.
Officials found 694 books from Akalvilakku and 886 books from Phoenix during the inspection. The combined total was 1,580 books. The titles were taken into official custody and removed from the libraries, according to the report.
The action affects public library collections, where procurement decisions determine the material available to readers across urban, semi-urban and rural communities. The reported inspections also place attention on the administrative process through which books are selected, purchased, distributed and catalogued across district-level library networks.
Officials are investigating when the books were purchased and examining the related procurement details. The report did not specify the total value of the purchases, the number of libraries from which the books were removed, or whether disciplinary or legal action has been initiated against any individual or organisation.
The findings in Tiruvallur and Tiruvarur come as authorities continue examining libraries that acquired books from the two publishing houses. Further action will depend on the procurement records and other details being reviewed by officials, according to the report.
