An Indian court has ordered an investigation into allegations that a public library in the southern state of Tamil Nadu bought hundreds of books suspected of being generated using AI.
The controversy began after Tamil novelist Perumal Murugan raised concerns about books containing false information and questionable authorship at a newly opened library in Coimbatore city.
The Madras High Court has ordered the state's anti-corruption agency to investigate the purchases and freeze bank accounts linked to a publisher accused of supplying the books.
The state government has blamed the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) party-led administration for buying the books. The DMK denies allegations.
Tamil Nadu's School Education Minister A Rajmohan has described the allegations as potentially "India's first AI scam" and said the investigation would cover purchases at other public libraries across the state.
The case has raised wider questions about the growing use of AI in publishing, where tools can generate entire books quickly and cheaply, but also produce false information and invented references.
It has also highlighted the challenges facing libraries and publishers in checking the authenticity of books as AI-generated content becomes more widespread.
The controversy centres on the Periyar Arivulagam library, built at a cost of about 3bn rupees ($34m; £26m). Named after social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy, it was inaugurated on 16 October by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
Murugan, whose novels Pyre and One Part Woman have received international recognition, raised concerns after visiting the library last month.
Writing in an online magazine, he alleged that nearly 1,800 books in its Tamil section had been supplied by a little-known publisher called Agal Vilakku Pathippagam.
He said many of the books carried unfamiliar authors' names, unusually high prices and questionable International Standard Book Numbers (ISBNs).
One book cited in the controversy, Naladiyar Vaazhvin Vazhikatti (A Guide to Life through Naladiyar), was reportedly priced at 1,445 rupees for 300 pages.
It describes Naladiyar as a Tamil poet and philosopher, although Naladiyar is a classical Tamil work consisting of 400 four-line verses on morality and ethics.
Another book reportedly attributes the ancient Tamil poem Madurai Kanchi to an incorrect author. It remains unclear whether AI was used to produce any of the disputed books.
Questions have also been raised about a book found at another public library in Madurai which names renowned economist Jean Drèze as its author.
The book, Democracy and People's Rights in the Contemporary World, names renowned economist Jean Drèze as its author and was published by Phoenix Publishing House.
Drèze did not respond to BBC Tamil's request for comment but told The Hindu newspaper earlier this week that he had not written the book, raising concerns that his name may have been used without his permission.
BBC Tamil visited a Chennai address listed by Agal Vilakku and another publisher named in the controversy, Phoenix Publishing House, but found no signs identifying either business.
A woman at the address confirmed that Agal Vilakku operated there. Its proprietor, Mohan, declined to comment, saying the matter was before the courts.
The controversy has prompted writers, academics and publishers to question how the books were selected for public libraries.
More than 160 writers, researchers, artists and publishers have signed a joint statement calling for an independent inquiry, the release of procurement records and an audit of library collections across Tamil Nadu.
They have also called for the recovery of public money if the investigation finds that funds were misused.
The group questioned how the disputed books could have passed through a selection process involving expert committees, price negotiations and several levels of review.
The state government has ordered an internal audit of public library collections.
Rajmohan said 523 books had already been removed from the historic Connemara Public Library in Chennai city after preliminary checks raised concerns about their authenticity and quality.
Disputed books have also been removed from Periyar Arivulagam, while anti-corruption officials examine procurement records and inspect other libraries, he added.
The controversy also sparked a political row in Tamil Nadu. Rajmohan accused the previous DMK government of ordering the disputed books and said the state would seek to recover public money if the investigation found wrongdoing.
The DMK has rejected the allegations as politically motivated and has called for an investigation into the purchases.
Additional reporting by Rachita Prasad
