  We have searched for the important radioactive isotope 26Al in the nova-like
source V4332 Sgr. Recent results from gamma ray astronomy show that there is
pervasive emission of the 1.809 MeV gamma ray photon, arising from the decay of
26Al to 26Mg, from all over the galactic plane. Though the sites from where
this emission originates are not clearly established, novae are believed to be
an important contributing source. In this context, V4332 Sgr presented a rare
opportunity to observationally investigate whether novae or novae-like sources
synthesize 26Al and to what extent. Strong AlO bands in the near-IR have been
reported in this object recently. As molecular bands of different isotopic
compositions are readily resolved spectroscopically (e.g. 12CO and 13CO), it
was thought that the components of AlO associated with
  26Al and stable 27Al could be detected as separate bands. Our spectra
indicate that there is no strong presence of 26Al in V4332 Sgr. A reliable
upper limit of 0.10 for the 26Al/27Al ratio is determined which constitutes the
first observational constraint for this ratio in a potential 26Al producing
source. While V4332 Sgr is not a typical nova, its outburst amplitude and
light-curve behaviour bear close similarity to that of novae. Hence, although
the results from V4332 Sgr cannot be directly extended to novae in general, the
limit on the observed 26Al/27Al ratio could be a useful input in constraining
rather uncertain nucleosynthesis models for the production of 26Al in
novae/novae-like sources. By comparing the observed 26Al/27Al ratio in V4332
Sgr with that expected in classical novae it appears unlikely that the
progenitor of V4332 Sgr is an Oxygen-Neon-Magnesium white dwarf.
