Houghton Mifflin Co. News Release - April 7, 2006

Houghton Mifflin Takes Action Against Piracy as Police Seize Thousands of Unauthorized Textbook Reprints in New Delhi Raids

BOSTON — April 7, 2006 — Indian police confiscated copies of illegally produced Houghton Mifflin higher education textbooks and printing materials from the offices of All India Publisher and Distributors (AIPD) and All India Traveler Bookseller (AITBS) this week. Two truckloads of illegally reprinted copies of Houghton Mifflin textbooks were seized from AIPD, and 6,900 reprints and negatives from Houghton Mifflin titles were found at AITBS during police raids of the premises. 

Police have charged Rajinder Arya of AIPD and Virender Arya of AITBS with copyright infringement under Section 63 of the Copyright Act and criminal conspiracy under section 120 of the Indian Penal Code. The charges are the result of several months of investigation by Akash Chittranshi and Associates, a firm that specializes in matters of copyright infringement in India.

The police investigation of Rajinder Arya and Virender Arya is ongoing, and is expected to result in imprisonment and substantial fines. Enforcing copyright infringement laws in India is a high priority for police and Houghton Mifflin alike.

"These raids send a strong message to the Indian marketplace that copyright infringement of Houghton Mifflin textbooks and materials will not be tolerated," said Patricia Tutunjian, senior vice president, Houghton Mifflin International Division. “We must protect our intellectual property and that of our authors.”

About Houghton Mifflin
Boston-based Houghton Mifflin Company is one of the leading educational publishers in the United States, with more than $1 billion in sales. Houghton Mifflin publishes textbooks, instructional technology, assessments and other educational materials for elementary and secondary schools and colleges. The Company also publishes an extensive line of reference works and award-winning fiction and nonfiction for adults and young readers. With its origins dating back to 1832, Houghton Mifflin combines its tradition of excellence with a commitment to innovation. The Company's Web site can be found at www.hmco.com.