The Delhi High Court on Wednesday asked the Centre to respond to a petition seeking to frame guidelines to regulate the work and domain of private detectives till the codified Act comes into existence.
Justice Rekha Palli, who was hearing a plea by a woman aggrieved by an allegedly illegal investigation carried out by a private investigator, asked the Centre to submit its response within six weeks.
“You [Centre] have to take a balanced view. You have to take care,” the High Court said.
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Free to act
The Central government’s counsel said that the petitioner was free to take action under the Indian Penal Code and the Information Technology Act which were applicable to any offence committed by private detectives.
“These are professionals. We can’t have a guideline for everything... All [professionals] have to follow the law. There is IPC, IT Act. FIR or complaint can be filed,” the counsel said.
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The High Court also clarified that it was not going to examine any other issues raised by the woman in her plea and that she was free to seek appropriate remedy in accordance with the law.
Illegal investigation
The woman, in her plea, claimed that a private detective shared certain personal information about her with a foreign national after conducting an illegal investigation. She claimed that there were several private detectives in the country operating without being subjected to any oversight.
The plea said that although a Bill was introduced in the Rajya Sabha in 2007 on this aspect, no progress was made ultimately. The HC will hear the case on January 10.