‘India’s first AI scam’: Tamil Nadu minister alleges library fraud under DMK

Tamil Nadu Minister Rajmohan has filed a complaint with the anti-corruption police alleging a statewide procurement scam involving the purchase of allegedly fraudulent, AI-generated books for public libraries during the previous DMK government regime, amplifying controversy at Coimbatore’s Periyar Arivulagam. Rajmohan displayed documents purportedly representing original committee recommendations, purchase orders, and payment proceedings, announcing a special committee to examine library collections and recover all spent funds.

The allegations arose after novelist Perumal Murugan criticized books from Agalvilakku Publishing House for containing elementary errors, questionable historical claims, and unfamiliar authors’ names. Rajmohan claimed similar books reached other libraries, including Connemara Library and the Kalaignar Library in Madurai, and acknowledged procurement for libraries in Tiruchi, Salem, Cuddalore, and Tirunelveli, along with Rs 5 crore earmarked for e-books.

He alleged that committee meetings were held between November and January, with 112 of 137 members attending the January meeting, and the recommendations were approved under pressure from the DMK administration. Rajmohan compared the operation to printing counterfeit currency, alleging AI was used to combine material from different authors into new volumes, calling it "India’s first AI scam."

He requested libraries preserve the AI-generated books as evidence and asked the Public Works Minister to investigate potential irregularities in library construction.