The wedding scanners...

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17 But Rai adds a very human angle to the situation. “Most families come to us shattered. They have nobody to go to, and they just need help.”

To get a better grip on the toll and costs, DC spoke to Capt. D.K Giri, founder and managing director of Sharp Detectives Pvt limited (Secunderabad), one of the city’s largest such agencies, and fortunately for us, the only one with its ‘rates’ displayed.

The former soldier (whose agency was involved in the ops to catch Veerapan), he employs over 600 detectives, with a ‘Class A’ operator charging `6,000 daily for surveillance, and that’s the minimum.

A few times, the bill has hit lakhs. “There was this case that took me to Sri Lanka. The husband, was on an ‘adventure trip', but the wife was a little suspicious. I was paid $2,000 plus $1,000 for food and stay every day. That assignment was a holiday,” he reveals. He also remembers the time a girl’s parents walked into his office with vials of poison, threatening to kill themselves if he didn’t help them.

The girl was in love with a boy, who the parents suspected was a cheat. He claimed he ran a dozen ‘cable shops’. But after three days, we found out he was an awaara, still on a `100-a-day pocket money from his mother,” the detective reveals.

“On the fifth day of surveillance, we saw the ‘quarry’ visit a few inmates at Chanchalguda prison. After further checks, it was revealed that boy was named in a murder case, and he was visiting three of his friends who were serving time.”

The girl was finally moved. And Capt. Giri, threw away the two vials of poison. The senior sleuth also took us through the tricks of the trade.

“What’s different about Hyderabad? Well, for me each case is different. But Hyderabad presents a unique challenge. For example, at Jubilee Hills, we just can’t stand outside homes, or sit in cars to take photos. I remember this case when we had to rent an entire apartment next to this serial cheater’s home. It was tense. Old city is even tougher because of the proximity of homes and family ties.”

And finally, straight from the horse’s mouth is Sagar Aggarwal’s opinion. He got a ‘pre mat’ check done on the guy who is marrying his sister.

“Peace of mind. That’s the key. I’m now at peace knowing the history of my brother-in-law, and I can say now… he’s a fine man,” Agarwal says.