This Valentine Day, hubbies play spy games

MUMBAI: Red roses, red hearts and a dollop of green appear to be the hallmark of Valentine's Day this year as detective agencies across the city are being inundated with calls from spouses asking them to spy on their 'better halves'.

But it's not the suspicious, possessive or insecure woman who is haunted by her husband's infidelity. Top detective agencies said that as February 14 approaches, it's the men who have been bitten by the green-eyed monster and are willing to pay detectives as much as Rs 30,000 per day to assuage their fears that the wives are not looking beyond the marital bed.

Since February 3, phones of detective agencies and private security companies have been ringing non-stop, around 30-40 enquires every day, with husbands asking them to shadow their wives. "In the last three to four days alone, I have received 50 such requests, and most of them are from worried men," said Deepak Monga, CEO of Agile securities. "They even want us to find out what their wives are shopping, their travelling routines and the way they conduct themselves at work."

According to security agencies, this behaviour is unusual as they normally get only three to four such cases every year during the Valentine season. Brigadier Jaisinghani, who runs Tops Securities, has also observed a marked rise in calls from suspicious spouses, most of whom are husbands.

S Salaria of Trig Securities admitted that the fears of 70% of their clients, both male and female, are confirmed: "In only 30% of cases do we find that the spouse's suspicions are unfounded."

Monga's agency has deployed 120 people who are "running from pillar to post" just to keep up with the 'suspicious husband' caseload. "It's a huge volume, as at least three personnel are required to investigate each person," said Monga, admitting that the workload is so much that the well-staffed company is struggling to "deploy personnel and technology to spy on their targets".

One would not expect this kind of behaviour in the week before Valentine's Day, when people are affirming their love for each other, noted another detective. One of the reasons attributed to this trend is the rise of the double-income couples and the fact that February 14 falls on a working day. Monga said the BPO and call-centre culture where employees work late-night shifts have exacerbated this paranoia. "In such cases, we will have to be alert all through February 13 night," he said.

On an average, well-established detective agencies charge Rs 30,000 per day. "It's not cheap, but the high rate does not seem to bother," said Jaisinghani. Moreover, their job does not end once the case is closed. "If we establish infidelity, we suggest that the couple go for counselling and also help them arrive at an amicable settlement," said Monga.