In 2010 the book made headlines when it was withdrawn from the University of Mumbai's English syllabus after complaints from the Maharashtrian politician Aditya Thackeray.

The novel's protagonist is a hard-working bank clerk called Gustad Noble, a member of the Parsi community and devoted family man struggling to keep his wife Dilnavaz, and three children out of poverty.

A letter that Gustad receives one day from an old friend, Major Bilimoria, slowly draws him into a government deception involving threats, secrecy and large amounts of money.

The teachers' union wanted the Vice Chancellor to defend academic freedom,[3][4] claiming that the book was selected for literary reasons.

[5] The Chief Minister of Maharashtra Ashok Chavan (Member of Congress Party) stated that the book was "highly abusive and objectionable".