‘Maine jab se pesha apnaaya hai tab se maut mere saath hi hai’: Meet Rajani Pandit, India’s first lady detective

From college girl to undercover sleuth

Rajani’s journey began in college, not as a spy but a curious observer of people. She started helping friends with personal problems, noticing behavioural patterns, and giving logical advice. It wasn’t long before she was being called upon for more: missing persons, surveillance, secret investigations. She discovered she had an instinct for uncovering the truth.

Marriage? That never came up. “Ladke dekhne ka time hi nahi mila,” she laughs. “Since college, I’ve been working in this field. Today, I can’t even sit and watch TV; the phone never stops ringing.”

Pandit is not just a gumshoe; she’s part detective, part therapist, and part social worker. She speaks of cases involving estranged children, addicted youths, and parents driven to despair. In one instance, she recalls a boy forced by his parents into engineering, despite his lack of interest.

“Uska dhyaan padhaai mein nahi lagta tha. Smoking shuru kar di. Unke parents pareshaan the,” she shares. Eventually, after extensive counselling and reality checks, the boy turned his life around.

“Aaj ke zamaane mein darwaze khule hain,” she says. “Why force kids into one narrow definition of success?”

Her caseload is eclectic and relentless; mostly from families, suspicious spouses, corporate firms, even politicians.

“Aajkal to gale lagana, haath pakadna common baat ho gayi hai. Court mein bed relation prove karna mushkil hai,” she says, detailing how multiple hotel visits, covert recordings, and social media trails help build legally admissible proof.

She even assists politicians during elections, gathering ground intelligence on rivals or gauging public sentiment. “Kya aap jeetenge ya nahi — log aapke baare mein kya soch rahe hain — wo sab pata lagta hai,” she explains matter-of-factly.

Much of her modern work hinges on technology. “Aadhi investigation social media pe hoti hai,” she admits. And tools? “Spy cameras in teddy bears, pens, buttons… Even under the table microphones.”

In one case, she exposed a massive counterfeit goods racket where fake branded products were flooding the market. By tracing the fake supply chain from shops to distributors, she helped companies act on real-time intel.

But it hasn’t always been smooth. Rajani recounts an intense legal battle over her book, which was pirated without her knowledge. She discovered thousands of duplicate copies being sold in her name. When she pursued the culprits, she faced threats, intimidation, and even a planned mob attack in court.

“Unhone kaha ki aapka to ‘kini’ ban jaayega — aap kyun gayi inquiry karne?” she recalls, referring to a veiled threat of physical harm. She fought back legally — and won.

The human side of spying

Her job may be riddled with cloak-and-dagger tactics, but she never loses sight of the human element. Whether it’s guiding a rebellious teen or confronting a lying spouse, she’s acutely aware of the impact truth can have.

“Har baat sabko bataani chahiye ya nahi, ye decide karna padta hai,” she explains. “Responsibility hai.”

Despite the darkness she often confronts, she finds fulfilment in helping others, in real change. She’s also assisted police, quietly and unofficially, on several cases where her intel proved vital.

Unsurprisingly, her life has attracted the attention of filmmakers. Talks are underway for a web series based on her experiences.

“Aapka character main play karun?” Chhavi, the host, joked. Rajani smiles, “Acting mein kar sakti ho, lekin asli zindagi mein detective banna mushkil hai.”

She laughs, but the seriousness of her path remains evident.