Jammu, July 13: A Jammu court has remanded three publishers to 10 days of custody in connection with the investigation into the controversial school books case being handled by the Counter Intelligence Kashmir, CIK.

The publishers were produced before the court through virtual mode a day after their arrest. They have been identified as Inderpaul Singh of Oberoi Book Service, Jammu, and Amardeep Singh and Girish Arora of Noida based Dominant Publishers. The arrests followed coordinated searches conducted by the investigating agency in Jammu and Delhi.

The investigation concerns two books supplied to government school libraries under the Samagra Shiksha programme. According to investigators, the publications contained objectionable material, including content allegedly linked to separatism and capable of disturbing public order.

Following the controversy, the Jammu and Kashmir Government directed the immediate withdrawal of the books from school libraries. It also suspended eight School Education Department officials, disengaged a contractual employee, blacklisted the authors and publishers, and ordered a high level inquiry into the process through which the books were selected.

The CIK had earlier registered an FIR under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, alleging criminal conspiracy, acts prejudicial to the sovereignty and integrity of India, promotion of enmity, and circulation of objectionable material.

Officials said investigators are examining the extent of the publishers' involvement in printing and distributing the books. They added that the probe is continuing and further action, including additional arrests, may follow.