MAJOR PIRACY CRACKDOWN IN DELHI: OVER 20,000 BOOKS SEIZED
Collaborative enforcement effort by Penguin Random House India, Simon & Schuster India & Hay House targets organized piracy network
New Delhi, 23 March 2026; In a significant step towards combating organized book piracy, Penguin Random House India, in collaboration with Hay House & Simon & Schuster India and a team of investigators, initiated actions with the Crime Branch of Delhi Police, who led and successfully executed a large-scale anti-piracy raid in Rohini, Delhi. The nearly 24-hour operation targeted multiple warehouses as well as an illegal printing press that resulted in the seizure of over 20,000 pirated books and sealing of the printing press, dealing a substantial blow to an entrenched piracy network operating in the capital.
The raid exposed a sophisticated and large-scale distribution operation allegedly run by repeat offender Jwala Prasad. Acting on detailed intelligence, the Crime Branch conducted coordinated search and seizure operations across multiple locations, leading to the arrest of the accused and registration of a formal case under relevant provisions of the Copyright Act.Preliminary findings indicate the involvement of an organized syndicate engaged in the illegal printing, warehousing, and distribution of pirated books. Authorities recovered unauthorized copies of numerous bestselling and newly released titles, underlining the growing scale and persistence of piracy in the Indian book market. Among the seized titles were works by globally acclaimed and bestselling authors, including Daniel Kahneman, Arundhati Roy, Simon Sinek, Yuval Noah Harari, Haruki Murakami, James Clear, and others, spanning both international and Indian publishing lists. An illustrative list of seized titles is available upon request.
This joint enforcement action marks one of the largest recent seizures of pirated books in Delhi and is expected to significantly disrupt local piracy supply chains. It also reinforces the publishing industry’s continued commitment to protecting intellectual property and ensuring that authors and creators are fairly compensated for their work.
Commenting on the raid and efforts to curb piracy, Manoj Satti, SVP- Product, Sales & 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.’
Building on Penguin Random House India’s ongoing anti-piracy initiatives, this operation underscores the importance of sustained, industry-wide collaboration. By working closely with publishing partners such as Simon & Schuster India and bringing together other stakeholders across the ecosystem, the company is strengthening a coordinated and scalable response to piracy. This collective approach—combining intelligence, enforcement, and legal action—aims to create a stronger deterrent against organized piracy networks. The publishers also extended their appreciation to the Delhi Police whose coordinated efforts over an extended operation window made this seizure possible, while reaffirming their commitment to proactively address and curb piracy through continued partnerships, awareness, and legal action.
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About Penguin Random House India
Penguin Random House India is the country’s leading trade publisher, publishing over 450 new titles every year and managing a diverse backlist of more than 3,500 books. Our publishing spans literary and commercial fiction, non-fiction, and children’s books — from politics, history, memoir, and business to health, self-help, cookery, and culture.
We are home to some of India’s and the world’s most celebrated voices — including winners of the Nobel Prize, Booker Prize, Jnanpith Award, and Sahitya Akademi Award. Several of our authors have also been honoured with the Bharat Ratna and Padma Vibhushan, reflecting the influence of their work in literature and public life.
Penguin Random House India also serves as the exclusive distribution partner for several major international and local publishers, bringing books to readers across India and the subcontinent.
MEDIA CONTACT-
Saumya Jha | sjha1@penguinrandomhouse.in | +91 836 917 9047