IN AN apparent fallout of the phone-tapping incident involving the Samajwadi Party's Amar Singh, the government has decided to bring in a law to regulate private detective agencies. The Home Ministry will introduce a bill to this effect in Parliament's budget session.
Among the components of the bill will be the various domains or areas where the detective agencies will be allowed to operate.
Sources said these agencies would not be permitted to get involved in industrial espionage or gather information about rivals in the corporate sector. "Similarly, there'll be clearly defined areas where the detective agencies can function," said an official.
Private detectives will be allowed to carry out sting operations but these will have to be in the "public interest". Sources said stings operations which violated the privacy of an individual would not be allowed.