New Delhi (PTI): Former army chief M M Naravane on Tuesday shared on X a statement issued by the publisher of his memoir "Four Stars of Destiny" that says no copies of the book "in print or digital form have been published, distributed, sold" or otherwise made available to the public.

"This is the status of the book," Naravane wrote.

The former army chief shared on the social media platform the statement that was issued on X by Penguin India on Monday night.

"In light of recent public discourse and media reporting, Penguin Random House India would like to clarify that we hold the sole publishing rights for the book 'Four Stars of Destiny', a memoir by General Manoj Mukund Naravane, former Chief of the Indian Army. We wish to make it clear that the book has not gone into publication. No copies of the book -- in print or digital form -- have been published, distributed, sold, or otherwise made available to the public by Penguin Random House India," the publisher said in its statement.

Amid the controversy, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday cited a December 2023 social media post by Naravane informing people that that his book is "available now", seeking to rebut the publisher's statement that the 'memoir' has not yet been published.

Gandhi said he believes the word of the former army chief over Penguin.

In another statement, the publisher on Tuesday said an announcement about a book or its availability for pre-order should not be interpreted as publication.

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Khandwa (MP) (PTI): A woman, aged about 90, was allegedly raped by four masked men in Madhya Pradesh’s Khandwa district, prompting the authorities to launch a probe by a special investigation team (SIT), police said on Saturday.

The woman is being treated at the district hospital for the injuries sustained during the sexual assault. She is out of danger, they said.

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The woman was alone inside her hut in an agricultural field in her village, about 55 km from the district headquarters, on Thursday night, when she was allegedly gang-raped.

The survivor informed her daughter, who lives in another village, about the incident the next morning. She then took her to the district hospital.

The hospital staff advised the woman and her daughter to approach the police, Khandwa Superintendent of Police Manoj Rai told PTI over the phone.

After receiving a complaint, police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 70, which concerns gang rape, Rai said.

An SIT, headed by an additional superintendent of police, has been formed, and three teams have been deployed to track down those behind the alleged crime. Police have also announced a reward of Rs 10,000 for information leading to their arrest, he added.