Pune, Correspondent

The recent high-profile Ketan Agrawal murder case has once again highlighted the importance of pre-marital background verification and knowing the true identity of a prospective life partner, said Detective Priya Kakade, Director of Swift Detective & Investigation, during a press conference in Pune.

Sharing insights from her experience in handling cases related to pre-marital investigations, extramarital affairs, matrimonial fraud, financial crimes, divorce, and family disputes, Kakade said marriage is one of the most significant decisions in a person's life, yet many families continue to finalize alliances based solely on financial status, education, social standing, or appearance.

She pointed out that crucial aspects such as previous relationships, divorce history, financial liabilities, criminal records, mental health, and other personal details are often overlooked, leading to serious legal and family disputes after marriage.

Referring to recent cases such as the Ketan Agrawal and Raja Raghuvanshi incidents, Kakade observed that cases involving extramarital affairs, forced marriages, hidden relationships, false identities, and financially motivated matrimonial fraud are on the rise.

"Many individuals agree to marriage due to family or societal pressure despite not being willing. In some cases, previous relationships continue even after marriage but are concealed from the prospective spouse. Such situations often result in marital disputes, mental harassment, divorce, or even criminal incidents within months. Proper background verification before marriage can prevent many such tragedies," she said.

Kakade explained that a comprehensive pre-marital investigation can verify marital status, previous marriages or divorces, financial background, property details, criminal records, social behaviour, addictions, ongoing relationships, and other relevant information.

She also identified several warning signs during the marriage process, including repeated postponement of marriage, avoiding communication, providing false excuses, reluctance to introduce family members, or showing disinterest in the marriage.

According to Kakade, Swift Detective & Investigation has successfully handled more than 2,048 cases since 2006, including pre-marital verification, matrimonial fraud, extramarital affairs, financial fraud, missing person investigations, family disputes, and corporate investigations.

"Our objective is not to create suspicion but to uncover the truth. Access to accurate information before marriage helps families avoid emotional, financial, and social losses. Decisions based on verified facts are always safer," she added.

During the interaction, Kakade also answered questions from media representatives on the growing impact of social media on marriages, matrimonial website fraud, evidence collection for court proceedings, and the changing nature of family disputes.

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