Cops seize over 5000 pirated NCERT books, arrest one

New Delhi: Police raided a godown allegedly used to store and distribute pirated books of National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) in northwest Delhi and seized more than 5,000 such textbooks meant for school students.A raid conducted on Thursday at a godown in Shahbad Daulatpur led to the recovery of 5,011 pirated NCERT textbooks covering Classes I to XII in both English and Hindi medium. One person, identified as Arvind Kumar, was arrested from the spot.Police said Kumar, who hails from Bihar, moved to Delhi in 2003. He completed his bachelor's degree from Hansraj College and later pursued a master's degree through Indira Gandhi National Open University. Investigators said he prepared for competitive examinations but allegedly began selling pirated NCERT books around 2022.Crime Branch had received information about a location where counterfeit textbooks were allegedly being stored and supplied across Delhi and NCR.DCP Sanjeev Kumar Yadav said a team had been monitoring the activities of a suspected network involved in the sale of pirated school books. Acting on a tip-off received on March 12, the team conducted a raid at the premises in Shahbad Daulatpur. During the search, a large quantity of books resembling NCERT textbooks was found in the godown. Officials from NCERT were called to verify the material and confirmed that the books were pirated, police said.Kumar was taken into custody and the books were seized. A case was registered under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Copyright Act and the Trade Marks Act. According to police records, Kumar was previously booked in two cases related to copyright violations.Police said efforts are underway to trace the source of printing and identify others involved in the alleged syndicate.