The Delhi Detective's Handbook: Vish Puri's Guide to Operating as a Private Investigator in India

By Tarquin Hall

World famous Indian detective Vish Puri provides a comprehensive guide to the ancient Indian field of investigation and its application in the modern context, including invaluable recommendations for all types of disguises and undercover aliases, operational procedures and methods of detection and observation, not overlooking useful information regarding procedures for vetting prospective brides and grooms, where to get the best street foods while conducting stake outs, and the importance of maintaining a proper moustache.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sacred Cow Media Ltd.
• Release date: Dec 20, 2017
• ISBN: 9780992725624

Book preview

The Delhi Detective’s Handbook

The Delhi Detective’s Handbook

Being a guide to the ancient Indian field

of investigation and its application in the modern

context, including invaluable recommendations

for all types of disguises and undercover aliases,

operational procedures and methods of detection

and observation, not overlooking useful

information regarding procedures for vetting

prospective brides and grooms, where to get the

best street foods while conducting stake outs, and

the importance of maintaining a proper moustache.

Authored by Vish Puri

(in consultation with Mr. Tarquin Hall)

Illustrations by Lavanya Karthik

Published by Sacred Cow Media Ltd. 2017

Copyright © Sacred Cow Media Ltd. 2016

Tarquin Hall has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

This is a work of fiction. Names and characters are the product of the author’s imagination and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

First published in Great Britain in 2017 by Sacred Cow Media Ltd.

Sacred Cow Media Ltd.

41 St. James’s Square

Bath, Somerset

BA1 2TU

United Kingdom

www.tarquinhall.com

ISBN 978-1-9123178-7-5

eBook ISBN 978-0-9927256-2-4

Illustrations by Lavanya Karthik

Book and cover design by Shuka Jain

Typeset in Adobe Garamond Pro, Perpetua and Courier

Printed and bound in Great Britain by TJ International Ltd, UK.

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated with utmost reverence and humility to the Master, Chanakya.

"Valour is the wealth of rulers"

CONTENTS

CONCERNING THE AUTHOR

INTRODUCTION

Section One

Criminal Investigation in Ancient India and its Relevance Today

. Intelligence gathering

. Chanakya on recruitment

. Chanakya on operating in the field

. Chanakya on entrapping thieves

. Chanakya on transmission of intelligence

. Chanakya on detecting poison

. Sherlock Holmes, a Johnny cum lately

. From Voltaire to Poe to Doyle

. Jain philosophy

. India’s contribution to forensics

Chanakya on autopsy

Ancient medicine of India and its application to solving crimes

Regarding history of fingerprinting

A great injustice to India

. Ancient codes

. So-called pundits in British times

Section Two

Crimes in Modern India

. Changes to Delhi itself

. Some dramatic spikes in crime

. Types of crime

. Cybercrimes

. Serial killings

Cyanide Mohan

Auto Shankar

Handbag Killer

Dr. Cabbie

Pilgrim Poisoner

Bikini Killer

. Scams, scams, yet more scams

Chopper Scam

Coal-block Scam

Railgate

2G Scam

CWG

. Black economy

Trade Mispricing

Master Roll Fudging

Property Deals

. Political will sadly lacking

. Some examples of my own recent cases

Pug Kidnapping

Double Booking

Moustache Theft

Death by Electrocution

Motu Kidnapping

Loot and Scoot Bride

Monkey Abduction

. Principles of matrimonial investigations

Honey Trap

Detective-cum-shoulder-to-cry-on

Section Three

Operating in Modern India, a Most Challenging Environment

. Introduction

. Some misconceptions

. Other problems faced by private investigators

. Information is like gold dust

. How to get hold accurate information

. Undercover work

. Code names

. Disguises

Sardar-ji

Babu

Music Producer

Sadhu or Sanyasi

Auntie

Ditch-digger Wallah

Junglee Type

. A nudist experience

. Types of noses

. Types of moustaches

. Types of beards

. Types of headgear

. Types of Tilaka

. Extras required for disguises

. Where to find uniforms

. On surveillance

. Typical disguises for surveillance work

Licensed Water-trolly Wallah

Mops and Brushes Wallah

Kabari Wallah

Subzi Wallah

Kulfi Wallah

Press Wallah

Beggar Person

. Types of vehicles suitable for surveillance work

Bajaj Three-wheeler

Auto Rickshaw

Scootie

Water-tanker

. On tailing

. Electronic surveillance

. Safehouse

. Dead letterbox

. Hiring of some unusual items in Delhi

. Maintaining a body double

Section Four

Some Vital Items for Working in the Field & Recommendations for Where to Procure Snacks While Doing Stake Out

. Vital items for working in the field

Cellophane Bags

Chips

Evil Eye Averters

Giveaways

Hand Sanitiser

IDs

Lock-picking Kit

Medication

Notebook

Number Plates

Pen Recorder

Sonf

Vehicle

Weapon

. Recommendations for where to get outside food while on stake out (or when feeling peckish)

Section Five

How a Respectable Private Investigator Should Present Himself at all Times

. Introduction

. Dress code

Safari Suit

Cap

Moustache

Aftershave

Monsoon protection

Summer protection

. Driver

. Club membership

. Some tips for foreign detectives visiting India

Section Six

Observation and Correct Thinking

. Training

. Perspective

. Observation

. Physiognomy

. Jugaad

. Danger is my ally

. Confidentiality is my watchword

. Dharma and dāna

. On family

Appendix One

On India’s Legal System Today

Appendix Two

Some Letters to Honourable Editor, Times of India

. On Family Values

. On Chalta Hai

. On Corruption

. On Honking

. On Chillies

Glossary of some Hindi and Punjabi words and their meaning in the English language

CONCERNING THE AUTHOR

VISH PURI, formerly Military Intelligence, Indian Army, is Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Most Private Investigators Ltd, New Delhi, India. A two-timing recipient of the highly prestigious and recognised World Federation of Detectives Super Sleuth Award (1999 and 2013) and winner of six top national awards also, he is the only Indian private investigator til date to be honoured with the unique distinction of appearing on the cover of India Today. Having achieved unprecedented acclaim and success, Puri is widely regarded as well as celebrated as the best detective in all of India, and possibly the world also. Armed with complete faith in his own abilities while often facing considerable danger and obstacles, he has aided and abetted foreign law enforcement agencies including the Scotland Yard, Interpol, even FBI, thus ensuring their inquiries have come to a satisfactory conclusion each and every time. His clients have included many famous personages and VIPs and VVIPs also, including politicians, Maharajas, captains of industry, leading corporators, cricket and filmy stars, individuals drawn from the creamy layer, as well as Government of India and many other ordinary people from all walks. In 2013 he was recognised by the President of India for averting one national crisis after exposing the criminal activities of underworld don Raju, head of the infamous and so-called Red Onion Mafia. When not fighting crime, Puri dedicates himself to humanitarian and charitable work, family life and growing chillies, being a recognised expert in the field. Puri is an ardent supporter of Rotary Blood Bank (RBB), Delhi. He is also Vice-President, Indian Federation of Indian Private Eyes (IFIPE), Founder Member of the Centre for Promotion and Preservation of Dharma (CPPD), Honorary Member of Moustache Association of Punjab (MOP) and Delhi Chilli Growers Association (DCGA), not to mention Lifetime Member of the India International Centre (IIC), Habitat Centre (HC) and Delhi Gymkhana (DG). He has authored A Comprehensive Guide to Growing Indian Chillies (Hot Off The Press, 1999) and contributes on regular basis to letters page of Times of India regarding pressing social issues.

For more information, including a full biography, go to www.vishpuri.com. Vish Puri is the first private investigator in all India to maintain a presence on the Facebook also.

TARQUIN HALL is a reputed and regarded British author.

INTRODUCTION

Since Mr. Tarqin, an acclaimed British gentleman and journalist who has made his home in Delhi, saw fit to kindly commit to paper in book form his accounts of some of my most notable cases til date, I have become nothing short of a world famous and much celebrated personality. At the time of writing no less than four books¹ have been published by highly respectable and well regarded publishers² in the United States, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Turkey, Fin Land and other such far flung nations, not forgetting India also (though copies are regrettably very costly here and distribution is somewhat lacking on the publisher’s side). Despite some frankly sloppy errors³ and misspellings on Mr. Tarqin’s part, each book has been a best seller and widely read. All have received complimentary reviews in notable and highly respectable publications worldwide including New York Times, Financial Times, Guardian, even Times of India. Thus I have been the recipient of so much of correspondence from places such as Idaho, Tokyo and Kingston Upon the Thames, London. So many of these correspondents have sent me their heartiest compliments regarding my abilities given that each case has been brought to a successful and satisfactory conclusion, often spectacularly so. No less a person than His Excellency, President of Mongolia read and enjoyed Case of the Man Who Died Laughing to such extent that he kindly wrote me in the most flattering of terms, inviting me to his country as a State Guest no less. Others have endeavoured to engage my services and I am honoured to report that, in this regard, I have been able to assist some seventeen persons, including one Mr. Chulalongkorn Ramathibodi of Venkatanarasimharajuvaripeta whose daughter eloped with a smooth-talking chikna type from Goa and required locating.

However, the vast majority of correspondence received has come from interested parties requesting information and insights regarding how-all I achieve such extraordinary and newsworthy results given that I am working in the most challenging environment, India being home to a population of no less than 1.3 billion plus persons representing some 2,000 ethnic groups who are speaking in excess of 1,652 languages and are divided into so many castes and sub-castes, not to mention tribals and all. One Scotland Yard (SY) detective and one from the New York Police Department (NYPD) have sought my specialised advice in recent weeks, the latter regarding a certain Dilli wallah who got engaged in some insider training to the tune of crores of rupees. On so many of occasions I have been invited to give lectures, most recently before cadets at the Defence Intelligence Academy. There I divulged the most basic principles of detective work to which I am pleased to report these young men responded most enthusiastically, providing me with standing ovation of some five minutes. Thus I decided it was time to put pen to paper⁴ and create this humble contribution to the field. It has been nothing short of a monumental undertaking on my part and can be said to