# Madras court orders probe into Coimbatore library’s disputed book purchases

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/new-indian-mega-library-rocked-by-scandal-over-ai-generated-books/
- Published: 2026-11-11T11:33:24+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-11T17:08:07+00:00
- Original publisher: BBC Technology (publisher lean: Centre)
- Original article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c54gne3plvrxo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
- Topics: AI, Asia, Government, Politics, Technology, World

## Key points

- Court orders an anti-corruption investigation into library book purchases.
- Nearly 1,800 books are alleged to have questionable authorship.
- It is not yet clear whether AI was used.

## Summary

The Madras High Court has ordered Tamil Nadu’s anti-corruption agency to investigate disputed book purchases at a newly opened public library in Coimbatore and freeze accounts linked to a publisher accused of supplying them. The case began after novelist Perumal Murugan questioned the books’ accuracy and authorship, prompting wider concern about oversight of public spending and the reliability of AI-produced publishing.

Murugan alleged that nearly 1,800 Tamil books supplied to the Periyar Arivulagam library had unfamiliar authors, high prices and questionable ISBNs; one 300-page title reportedly cost 1,445 rupees. It remains unclear whether AI was used, and the state government and the previous DMK-led administration dispute responsibility. Separately, economist Jean Drèze says he did not write a book attributed to him at another library. More than 160 writers and others have called for an independent inquiry and an audit of collections across the state.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.