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In Thriving India, Wedding Sleuths Find Their Niche
Bhavna Paliwal of New Delhi is one of a growing number of private detectives being hired by Indian brides to vet their suitors.
(By Emily Wax -- The Washington Post)
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"Women can really get an in with the female maids, and they are often smarter about body language and clues than men are," said Sharma, who looks the part of a detective with his standard Indian mustache and haircut. "We want to blend, and Paliwal and our 11 female detectives do that so well."
Paliwal says she uses a combination of technology -- six cellphones, three spy cameras and five voice recorders -- and good old-fashioned gumshoe reporting to do her job. She likes to wear all black when incognito and a simple sari when chewing the fat with the neighborhood busybodies. She is addicted to detective novels that involve crimes of passion.
Common deceptions her sleuthing has turned up include cases of prospective grooms being already married or gay and others lying about their wealth or character.
The job can be dangerous. Once, Paliwal rescued a young girl who had been abducted and appeared set to become not a bride, but a sex slave.
"I kicked down the door and rescued the stolen girl," Paliwal said, looking fierce. "I wasn't scared. I was happy to help."
She also appreciates the investigations that don't turn up any dirt -- about 70 percent of her cases.
"Love sometimes works," she said, laughing. "That makes me happy."
Paliwal is married but never hired a private detective to investigate her own groom-to-be. Standing outside her office in front of her motorcycle, she explained why.
"Back then, I didn't know about such services," she said.
