Tamil Nadu Library Book Scandal Expands to More Libraries Amid Probe

UPDATE - follow-up to The controversy surrounding procurement of books for Periyar Arivulagam in Coimbatore | Explained: The investigation into book purchases for the Periyar Arivulagam library in Coimbatore has now expanded to check book lists in several other libraries across Tamil Nadu.

Investigation and Politics

Sahitya Akademi winner Perumal Murugan first raised the issue on November 6, 2026, pointing out that thousands of costly books with questionable authors, factual mistakes and artificial intelligence-generated content were bought for the newly opened library. He also stated that these books were bought at very high rates compared to actual market prices.

## Next Steps

The case is now moving toward a Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption inquiry alongside court intervention, while sparking a sharp political fight between the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam and the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.

Context

Public libraries in India are run with taxpayer funds to help local readers, making proper book selection and fair pricing very important. When leaders or authors find problems in how public money is spent on books, it often leads to official probes and political debates.

Background