Delhi Book Piracy Crackdown

As part of the ongoing nationwide anti-piracy enforcement campaign, Penguin Random House India, in collaboration with Simon & Schuster India, Hay House, and a team of investigators, initiated enforcement action against a commercial-scale piracy operation in Pandav Nagar and South Ganesh Nagar, Delhi. This raid, conducted on 20 July 2026, is the third consecutive successful raid and the first action under the campaign to target a digital print-on-demand facility – a shift that reflects how piracy itself is evolving.

Speaking on the raid, Jyoti Taneja, Counsel for Penguin Random House India, said, ‘This operation marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to combat organised book piracy and dismantle the infrastructure that sustains it. The action specifically targeted a commercial-scale digital piracy unit, resulting in the seizure of a complete print-on-demand production line, including photocopying, binding, cutting and lamination machines, computers, and over 1,600 pirated books. The operation sends a strong message that intellectual property crimes will not be tolerated and that those involved in organised piracy will be identified and punished in accordance with law.’

Accused Rahul Kushwaha was arrested in connection with the digital printing facility, a rented property in South Ganesh Nagar, used for the printing and supply of pirated books. A second accused, Arun Gupta, was arrested in connection with the storage and sales of the produced pirated books in Pandav Nagar.

Among the seized titles were unauthorized copies of popular and bestselling books, including Warmth by Ritvik Singh, Ikigai by Héctor García and Francesc Miralles, Atomic Habits by James Clear, It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover, Powerful by Lauren Robert, The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo by Taylor Jenkins Reid, The Secret by Rhonda Byrne, and Heart Lamp by Banu Mushtaq.