Coming: Legal leash for snoops

Private detective agencies will have to pay a heavy price for violating the privacy of an individual.

Private detective agencies will have to pay a heavy price for violating the privacy of an individual. According to the draft Bill prepared by the Union Home Ministry there will be provision for penal action against the private detective agencies found violating the guidelines. In addition, the licence of these sleuths will also be cancelled.

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The Home Ministry has decided to introduce the Bill during the Parliament's Monsoon Session. Though the Government was keen on bringing in the Bill during recently concluded Budge Session but it could not be prepared in time.

Ministry sources said the Government was concerned over the involvement of detective agencies in illegal phone tapping, including that of senior Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and was of the view that a regulatory mechanism needs to be put in place.

``Illegal phone tapping is not only a security hazard but also invasion of an individual's privacy. This will be dealt very firmly in the Bill,''an official pointed out.

In fact, there is a ``strong privacy clause'' in the Bill which if violated will invite penal action. There will be a set of guidelines which the private sleuths will have to follow while investigating a matter. The guidelines will also specify what kind of cases can be probed by detective agencies.

The draft Bill has been prepared in consultation with the State Police, Bureau of Police Research and Development and intelligence agencies. Sources said the intelligence agencies have pointed out that the private detectives were actively involved in illegal phone tapping. Once the Bill is passed by the Parliament it will be mandatory for the detective agencies to register with the State Police and they will be given a licence. The police will have to check the antecedents of the employees before the agencies can start functioning.

The detective agencies will have to follow a training manual, to be prepared by the State Police in consultation with MHA.