Claims that Tamil Nadu government libraries purchased books created using artificial intelligence and published under allegedly fictitious author names have raised questions about public procurement, catalogue scrutiny and accountability in the state’s library system. The allegations concern both the E.V. Ramasamy Library in Coimbatore and the Connemara Public Library in Chennai.
According to a report published by Dinamalar, writer Perumal Murugan alleged that books acquired for the Coimbatore library during an earlier DMK government contained material written with the assistance of artificial intelligence and were published under false names. The report said an inquiry had begun into the matter and quoted Minister Rajmohan as saying that legal action would follow against those found responsible.
The report further alleged that books with similar characteristics had been acquired for Chennai’s Connemara Public Library in 2024 and 2025. It identified a publisher named Agal Vilakku Pathippagam, while also reporting that the DMK had said it did not know who the publisher was. The supplied report does not include purchase orders, invoices, catalogue records, tender documents or a response from the Connemara library administration confirming the acquisitions.
Several titles were cited in social-media posts by writers and Tamil-language enthusiasts. These included books translated in the report as “Caste in India Through the Divisions of Divinity” by Viyan Vinoth, “Facing Discrimination in Modern Society” by Manikandan Selvamani, and a title concerning social divisions in urban development. The report said that several such books were present in the libraries, but the supplied material does not establish how many copies were purchased, the prices paid, the selection process used or whether the books were formally approved for acquisition.
The allegations point to a wider administrative question: how public libraries verify the identity of publishers and authors, assess the quality and provenance of books, and document spending from public funds. Libraries that serve as state-supported knowledge institutions require acquisition systems capable of checking bibliographic information, publisher credentials and the authenticity of submitted works. However, the supplied report does not provide enough evidence to determine whether any procurement rules were breached.
The distinction between an AI-assisted book and a fraudulent publication is also material. The use of artificial intelligence in drafting or editing does not, by itself, establish that a book is fake or that a procurement offence has occurred. Such a conclusion would require evidence about authorship, publication records, the identity of the publisher, the acquisition process and the representations made to the library authorities.
The Coimbatore inquiry mentioned in the report could establish whether books were improperly purchased and whether any officials, vendors or intermediaries were responsible. No comparable official investigation into the alleged Connemara Library purchases is identified in the supplied material. The report also does not state whether the Chennai library has removed the books, suspended further acquisitions from the publisher or begun an internal review.
Until procurement documents, catalogue records and official responses are made available, the allegations concerning the Chennai library remain unverified. The developments that require monitoring are the outcome of the reported Coimbatore inquiry, any formal response from the Connemara Public Library and the release of records showing how the books were selected, purchased and entered into the library catalogue.
