Detective agencies say national parties hired their services as recently as the LS polls.
Things just got murkier in the already murky world of politics. National parties have been hiring detective agencies to snoop on their rivals, and sometimes even on notorious members of their own party.
“The role of detectives is no longer confined to snooping on family or corporate targets. Detective agencies in Pune are being hired by national political parties to spy on their rivals and find out who they meet, which industrialists they are close to and even their sex life,” said Narendra Kulkarni, chairman of city-based Focus Detective Agency.
Kulkarni confirmed that they did get assignments during the recent Lok Sabha elections, but refused to reveal the parties or politicians involved. During the polls, Focus charged Rs 5,000 per day if the tailing had to be done in the city.
Kulkarni, however, clarified that when it comes to taking photographs or shooting video clips of politicians’ sexual adventures, they draw the line. “If our agency is tailing a politician in a five-star hotel, detectives will take their pictures or videos only in public places like the lobby or garden. We do not encourage clicking bedroom shots.”
Globe Detective Agency confirmed that they have been contacted by political parties for similar services. The Pune branch manager of the agency admitted that the Delhi branch got “tailing assignments of political candidates” to find out their “extra-curricular” activities. The assignments, however, were in Delhi.
Parties predictably say they haven’t hired detective agencies. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, senior BJP leader, said, “The BJP does not use detective agencies. We are a cadre-based party and for us, feedback from our cadres is more authentic than from any other agency. We have rejected the services of many such agencies. If any such agency is claiming it has got an assignment from a national political party, it must be a marketing stunt. But I cannot comment about regional political parties.”
However, Manish Tewari, Congress spokesperson said, “The Congress has no official reaction on this allegations. However, as an MP, I can say that some individual politicians may have used detective agencies. But no self-respecting national party would stoop so low as to get their own people or rivals shadowed by detective agencies.”
–Agencies