AID hosts Mumbai workshop to train private investigators in modern tools

Mumbai: The Association of Investigators and Detectives (AID) hosted a two-day seminar and training program, “Conference 2025-26 — BINDASS,” at Hotel Mirador, Mumbai, on September 13–14. The event brought together private investigators, detectives, insurance experts, legal professionals, and forensic specialists to strengthen industry knowledge and equip professionals with new tools to meet modern challenges.

Key sessions on emerging investigation challenges

The seminar covered a wide range of topics critical to today’s investigative field. Experts discussed health insurance, exploring new dimensions in claim investigations, while sessions on the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (BNS) highlighted the essential legal updates every investigator must know. Life insurance complexities beyond the policy were examined, along with the role of forensics in applying scientific methods to uncover the truth. The importance of automation in investigation for reducing manual errors was stressed, and experts on cyber investigations elaborated on tracking digital footprints, CDR analysis, and methods for online fraud detection. Additionally, motor accident claims (TP/MACT) were addressed, with practical techniques shared for uncovering truth in OD and motor claims.

Distinguished panel of experts

The sessions were led by eminent experts, including Nazim Khan from ICICI Lombard, Vivek Kaushik of Canara HSBC Life Insurance, Rukmani Krishnamurthy, former Director of the Forensic Science Directorate, Government of Maharashtra, Vedbhushan Sharma, Ex-ACP Delhi Police and President of Police Mahasang, Abhay Pal from TATA AIG General Insurance, Nivrutti Magar, a forensic specialist, and Sanjay Ras Patil, a private detective. Their expertise offered participants real-world insights into fraud detection, legal compliance, and evidence handling, making the sessions both practical and highly informative.

Industry expresses gratitude, calls for regular workshops

Members including DP Shankar, Anil Thakker, Rajesh K, Prashant Jadhav and others in industry expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the organizers and panelists for the insightful sessions. They emphasized that such knowledge-sharing workshops should be conducted regularly to ensure investigators remain updated with evolving industry standards.

“The two-day program gave us real-time investigative insights and practical skills, particularly on BNS, forensic methods, and cyber tools,” said Suresh Kannala of Kannala Detectives, Hyderabad, stressing the vital need for regular training workshops.

Gratitude and future roadmap

AID Directors Surendra V Jagga, Tushar Vishwakarma, Ashish Desai, Advocate Sanjeev Kaushik, and Deepak Sinha expressed gratitude to panelists and members for making the workshop a success. They stressed that AID’s mission is to professionalize the private investigation industry in India by combining legal knowledge, forensic science, and digital tools.

Additional focus for investigators

Experts highlighted the growing demand for certified investigators in insurance, corporate risk management, and cybercrime cases. They emphasized the importance of data privacy and ethics, ensuring that surveillance and digital analysis comply with Indian IT laws. The use of advanced AI tools for fraud detection, face recognition, and big data analysis was underlined as a game-changer for the industry. Equally stressed was the need for court-ready evidence through proper documentation and chain-of-custody procedures to withstand legal scrutiny. With cyber and financial crimes increasingly transcending borders, experts also pointed to the rising need for cross-border cooperation in investigations.

This workshop marked a strong step toward building a skilled, ethical, and tech-driven private investigation community in India.