Central government not snooping on detectives

With detective agencies continuing to sprout unregulated, prominent players in the industry are expressing concern that the current situation breeds unethical practices, often at the expense of an unsuspecting client or target.

“When a business grows, unethical practice will become commonplace unless it is regulated. Instances of detectives blackmailing clients for more money is worrisome,” said K. Ragothaman, a private investigator.

The Centre has failed to pass the Private Detective Agencies (Regulation) Bill, 2007, in successive Parliament sessions since a standing committee was formed back then under current external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj to debate on the finer points.

The private security industry, however, has been regulated without much fuss by the Centre. The Private Security Agencies (Regulation) Act, 2005, says Captain Shibu Isaac, chairman of Central Association of Private Security Industry (CAPSI), has prevented fly-by-night operators in the industry.

“It has also improved the wage structure and the social security scheme for guards on duty,” said Isaac.

However, the quest for legislation for both the private security and detective agency industries began together under the moniker of Association of Investigators and Security Organisations of India (AISOI). AISOI doesn’t exist anymore. Instead, CAPSI and Association of Private Detectives and Investigators-India (APDI) are collaborating on aspects regarding regulating an industry that has been given the cold shoulder by the Centre.

Much of the resistance in regulating the detective agencies come from the state police departments, said Commander Jagadeesan of Globe detective agency. “What the police fail to realise is that if abuse of power can happen in their own department, then it is very likely to happen in our industry as well,” he said.

One of the objections raised by the police involves the nomination of members to the regulatory body. The Bill rallies for the formation of a regulatory body with members nominated by the state and Central governments, which could include police personnel. However, it is the Bill’s recommendation to also appoint an APDI member to the board that has failed to

find support with the police.

Secondly, the police department is unwilling to look at private investigating agencies as a complementary support to their line of work. “We can help expedite investigation in cases with our added manpower, which will also help reduce backlog of cases. But the police don’t see our service in that line of sight,” said Arul Manimaaran, a private detective.

The prevalence of an unregulated atmosphere has paved way for even MBA graduates with no understanding of the line of work to start an agency, claims Ragothaman, who was the CBI investigator in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

“Intelligence gathering is an art. But when an MBA grad enters the field and starts a consulting agency offering ‘risk management services’, then the stakes are different,” he added.

The job is that of a private investigator and worryingly, unemployed youth in Chennai with no specialist skills whatsoever are turning to it.

“Around 95 per cent of the detective agencies hire teenagers and students as freelancers. These youngsters are ready to do just about anything,” said Commander S. Jagadeesan, Chennai branch head of Globe detective agency.

With as many as 125 agencies in the state, and around 30 in the city, there is no shortage of private investigating agencies that are on the look-out for enterprising youth to work for them. Work doesn’t entail handling any special equipment like a pen or button camera. It is mostly surveillance.

“Getting to recruit the right kind of employee is tough. It is mostly BE graduates who approach us and they are willing to do the work for as low as '6000. But these are the sophisticated youngsters. They don’t realise that the job is tricky,” said A.M. Malathi, director of Malathi women detective agency.

Very little training means that the youngsters are prone to exposing themselves. Agency directors narrate stories of how targets easily make out their agents. “Even otherwise, surveillance is tough these days. There is pressure from police and even the public are more aware of their surroundings. When they spot an unknown character just staying put doing nothing all day, the locals themselves ring up the police,” said Arul Manimaaran, director of Star detective bureau.

With no regulatory body monitoring the mushrooming growth of detective agencies, there is a dearth of certified professionals in the industry. “A legit detective possesses a Certified Professional Investigator (CPI) document. In this city, it is the youngster’s curiosity that is exploited as they are soft targets for the employer,” said K. Ragothaman, chief executive of Probe in a consultancy/private detective agency.

Big brands like Globe can afford to have a training institute. “At the Globe institute of investigation and security management, we screen candidates and conduct psychological tests before taking them in,” said Jagadeesan.

Several agencies which do not and cannot afford this set up, believe in linking the freshers along with a senior detective, who is another youngster with two or three years’ experience of snooping. “Because most agencies do not have the resources, the government should at least make it possible that the National Skill Development Corporation conduct a two week or 30 days’ certification course to train youngsters in the field, Ragothaman said. However, promoters feel that being a private investigator is not a viable career option for youngsters.