India has ended the 30-year ban on Salman Rushdie's controversial novel, The Satanic Verses. The Delhi High Court decided on Tuesday that the government could not provide any official documentation of the original order banning the book's import, describing it as "untraceable."

The case was filed by reader Sandipan Khan, who struggled to find evidence of the ban on government websites after being informed that the novel could neither be sold nor imported in India. Despite efforts to locate official records, Khan discovered no proof of the ban's existence.

In its decision, the court remarked, "We have no other option except to presume that no such notification exists," highlighting that the customs official reportedly responsible for the ban could not present a copy.

Published in 1988, The Satanic Verses immediately stirred controversy, especially within Muslim communities, due to its depiction of Prophet Muhammad. Although the book was banned in numerous countries, this latest ruling in India concludes its prolonged import restriction.