Investigating Mother-In-Laws By Detectives In India

At the Hatfield India detective agency, Sherlock Holmes is revered with the respect normally reserved for Hindu gods. The agency’s director, Ajit Singh, wears a pin with Holmes’ picture on the collar of his blue pinstripe jacket, and works beneath the fictional detective’s portrait, next to a pipe posed like a relic on display.

Singh’s investigations, like those of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes, require perseverance and discretion, but with a twist. Singh’s inquiries primarily fall into a different category: pre-marital affairs. “My clients want verified information about their children's future spouses, things like their financial situation and [overall] reputation,” explains Singh, who likes to smooth his moustache while he talks.

Investigations often involve the entire family, because, as the Indian proverb goes, “It’s not a man and a woman who marry, but their two families.” In an arranged marriage, it is not only love that is blind. Some lie about their finances, their profession or even their degrees in order to attract a higher-calibre partner.

“Before, families who lived in villages knew each other well, and could count on reliable information brought by local intermediaries. Now, newspaper and online classifieds serve as the intermediary. There are more opportunities [for marriage], but they are less reliable,” says Singh.

In India, the future of arranged marriages is online. One online dating site, Shaadi.com, claims to have 20 million members and has reportedly brought together 1.2 million couples. An arranged marriage remains a gamble on love – and a big investment. Some parents open a savings account for their daughters at birth in order to fund the lavish spending required for a wedding and, above all, for the dowry, the amount of which increases at the same rate as inflation.

But this investment has become risky. Since divorce appeared in large cities, marriages are less secure. Complicating matters is the fact that it is increasingly hard for families to be familiar with each other. That's where detective Singh comes in. He charges roughly 400 euros for a 10-day investigation, and promises clients that he will uncover any lies, all the while securing their investment and their reputation. At the Hatfield India firm, one in six investigations leads to a cancellation of the wedding.