Tamil Nadu orders library audit amid suspected AI-book scandal

Tamil Nadu has ordered an internal audit of public library collections after allegations that a newly opened library in Coimbatore purchased books containing false information and questionable author details. The controversy involves suspected AI-generated material, although whether artificial intelligence produced the disputed books remains unconfirmed, BBC Tamil reported.

The allegations centre on Periyar Arivulagam, a library and science centre named after social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy. Novelist Perumal Murugan raised concerns about its collection, prompting scrutiny of how public libraries select books and assess their quality before spending public money.

According to The Times of India, Murugan questioned factual errors in works about classical Tamil literature, the credentials of authors and publishers, and the authenticity of printed International Standard Book Numbers. He alleged that nearly 1,800 books from Agal Vilakku Pathippagam were stocked at the library, including volumes with unusually high prices.

Procurement records cited by the newspaper describe a recommendation committee constituted through a government order in November 2025. A 112-member committee subsequently recommended titles, followed by a final selection meeting in January 2026 and a February purchase order covering 60,266 books. Those figures describe the procurement process, not an established count of suspect titles.

The Madras High Court has directed the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption to register a case over alleged fraudulent procurement, according to Bar and Bench. The court also ordered the removal of suspect books and the freezing of bank accounts belonging to Agal Vilakku Publication, its proprietor and others allegedly involved.

The concerns extend beyond the Coimbatore collection. Bar and Bench reported that the court considered a book in Madurai’s Kalaignar Centenary Library falsely attributed to economist Jean Drèze, who had denounced it as fake. The proceedings also identified works wrongly attributed to Tamil poet Subramania Bharati.

The court framed the issue as a matter of access to reliable information, rather than simply a dispute over publishing methods. It said stocking bogus books breached statutory responsibilities and infringed the public’s right to receive accurate, quality information, the legal news outlet reported.

The allegations have also triggered a political dispute. School Education Minister A Rajmohan has blamed procurement under the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam administration. The DMK rejects the allegations as politically motivated and has called for an investigation, BBC Tamil reported.

The distinction between suspected AI use and demonstrated inaccuracies remains important. Errors and false authorship claims warrant scrutiny independently of how a manuscript was produced; they do not, by themselves, establish that an AI system wrote it. The investigation must determine the origin of the material as well as responsibility for its purchase.

Anti-corruption officials are examining procurement documents, financial transactions and payment records, The Times of India reported. Alongside the statewide audit, that inquiry will examine publishers, pricing and possible misuse of public funds, with responsibility for any wrongdoing still to be established.