Finger Prints Examination

A fingerprint is an impression of the friction ridges of all or any part of the finger. A friction ridge is a raised portion of the epidermis on the palmer (palm) or digits (fingers and toes) or plantar (sole) skin, consisting of one or more connected ridge units of friction ridge skin. These are sometimes known as “epidermal ridges” which are caused by the underlying interface between the dermal papillae of the dermis and the inter papillary (rete) pegs of the epidermis.

Fingerprints may be deposited in natural secretions from the glands present in friction ridge skin (secretions consisting primarily of water) or they may be made by ink or other contaminants transferred from the peaks of friction skin ridges to a relatively smooth surface such as a fingerprint card. The term fingerprint normally refers to impressions transferred from the pad on the last joint of fingers and thumbs, though fingerprint cards also typically record portions of lower joint areas of the fingers (which are also used to make identifications).
Fingerprints used for identification
Fingerprint identification (sometimes referred to as dactyloscopy) or palm print identification is the process of comparing questioned and known friction skin ridge impressions from fingers or palms or even toes to determine if the impressions are from the same finger or palm. The flexibility of friction ridge skin means that no two finger or palm prints are ever exactly alike (never identical in every detail).

A latent print is the chance reproduction of the friction ridges deposited on the surface of an item. Latent prints are often fragmentary and may require chemical methods, powder, or alternative light sources in order to be visualized.

When friction ridges come in contact with a surface that is receptive to a print, material on the ridges, such as perspiration, oil, grease, ink, etc. can be transferred to the item.

In the Henry system of classification, there are three basic fingerprint patterns: Loop, Whorl and Arch . They constitute 60-70, 25-35 and 5 percent of all fingerprints respectively. There are also more complex classification systems that further break down patterns to plain arches or tented arches. Loops may be radial or ulnar, depending on the side of the hand the tail points towards. Whorls also have sub-group classifications including plain whorls, accidental whorls, double loop whorls, peacock’s eye, composite, and central pocket loop whorls.

Chance Prints at Crime Scene

In forensics, latent fingerprints are marks left at the scene of a crime which may not be immediately visible to the naked eye. To expose latent fingerprints, technicians use fingerprint powder, fuming and other techniques. Identifying latent fingerprints is an important part of evidence collection and many technicians specialize in retrieving fingerprints from crime scenes and analyzing them in the lab in order to assist law enforcement with apprehending criminals.

The hands and feet are naturally oily, due to the glands, which secrete sweat, a mixture of water, salts and other trace compounds. The sweat adheres to the friction ridges of the finger and when a finger is placed on a surface such as glass, plastic or wood, an impression known as fingerprint will be left behind. The natural oils of the body preserve the fingerprint, which is utterly distinct; no two humans have the same fingerprints. Sometimes, latent fingerprints are made from substances other than sweat such as blood, other body fluids, or paint.

When investigators arrive at a crime scene, one of the first things they do after photographing the entire scene is dust for latent fingerprints. Dusting for fingerprints ensures that no prints are missed, even if patent fingerprints, prints readily visible to the naked eye, are evident. Specialized fingerprint powder is gently brushed over surfaces which may hold fingerprints to see if any appear. If latent fingerprints emerge after dusting, they are photographed and then carefully lifted with clear tape before being affixed to fingerprint cards. For difficult surfaces, another process known as fuming may be used to find latent fingerprints. Fuming can be used for very old fingerprints, because it causes a chemical reaction with trace substances which may be left behind by a fingerprint, even if the sweat itself is gone.

Type-Writing

A typewriter is a mechanical or electromechanical device with a set of keys, when pressed, cause characters to be printed on a medium, usually paper. From their invention, typewriters were indispensable tools for many professional writers and in business offices. By the end of the 1980s, word processors and personal computers had largely replaced the tasks previously accomplished with typewriters. Typewriters, however, remain in use in various areas of the world.

Forensic identification–Identifying the make and model of typewriters is a part of questioned document examination. Because of the tolerances of the mechanical parts, slight variation in the alignment of the letters and their uneven wear, each typewriter had its individual “signature” or “fingerprint”, allowing a typewritten document to be traced back to the typewriter it was produced on. The ribbon ink could also be analyzed, particularly if a carbon ribbon was used.

Dating of revenue Stamps

A revenue stamp, tax stamp or fiscal stamp is a stamp used to collect taxes or fees. These are issued by Governments, national and local or by official bodies of various kinds. One of the earliest uses of revenue stamps was to pay Court Fees. Stamps were used in the Indian feudal states as early as 1797, almost 50 years before the first postal stamps. Their use became widespread in the 19th century, partly inspired by the success of the postage stamp and partly motivated by the desire to streamline government operations. The presence of a revenue stamp is an indication that the item in question had already paid the necessary fees. Governments would enforce the payment of the tax by making unstamped documents unenforceable in court. The tax would apply to contracts, tenancy agreements, wills etc.

India Security Press is a unit of Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India Ltd. which is a wholly owned company of the Government of India. India Security Press, Nashik Road, is more than 80 years old establishment and was set up by British during Colonial rule, for printing of court fee, fiscal, postal, non-postal stamps and postal stationery items, at Nashik Road in 1925. It is under the administrative control of the General Manager, India Security Press, who is the Head of Department and also Ex-Officio Controller of Stamps of India. The Press is located at Nashik Road in the state of Maharashtra. The Central Stamp Depot, a part of India Security Press stocks the products of India Security Press and distributes them to various organizations in accordance with the indents received.

A revenue stamp means that it may contain security devices to prevent counterfeiting, which are regularly or at randomly changed with no fixed time interval to prevent forgers to prepare a fraudulent anti dated documents.

From the regular study for a long time, the writer could get success in establishing the probable date of circulation of a particular revenue stamp by the Govt. of India. However, it need not to be in confirmatory with the date of publication of that particular revenue stamp.

Finger Prints for Visa Card

Fingerprint cards are used to display the fingerprints that are taken. These cards are used in various departments and applications. For instance, some employers require fingerprints on these cards as part of a job application. Fingerprinting ink needs to be used with normal fingerprint cards.

Expert Consultancy

• Questioned Document Examination and appearance for evidence as a witness with demonstration before Hon’ble Courts, Tribunals and Domestic/Departmental Enquires.
• Forensic Photography of documents in courts.
• Preparation, conducting & assisting Attorneys supported by the comments of international authors and court rulings.
• Pre-trial & Post-trial Discussions/preparation of technical arguments on the subject for Attorneys for smooth technical arguments in the courts.
• Lifting, developing & photography of chance/Latent Fingerprints from crime scene or other various objects
• Obtaining & attesting specimen fingerprints of persons who propose to immigrate abroad or for visa purposes.
• Opinions on disputed handwritings and signatures in any language, finger print, fraudulent additions and alterations, forgeries, anonymous letters.
• Consultation on forensic questioned documents and preparation of cross examinations to be conducted by the lawyers on the expert witness of the opposite parties.
• Dating of the revenue stamps affixed on the receipt to see the actual date of preparation/execution of the document.
• Analysis of inks and their identification.
• Identification of type-writing.

Analysis of Ink

An ink is a liquid containing various pigments and/or dyes used for colouring a surface to produce an image, text, or design. Ink is used for drawing and/or writing with a pen, brush or quill. Thicker inks, in paste form, are used extensively in letterpress and lithographic printing. Ink is a complex medium composed of solvents, pigments, dyes, resins, lubricants, solubilizers, surfactants, particulate matter, fluoresces, and other materials. The components of inks serve many purposes; the ink’s carrier, colorants, and other additives are used to control flow and thickness of the ink and its appearance when dry.

Handwriting & Fingerprint Identification

Penmanship or handwriting is the art of writing with the hand and a writing instrument wherein the styles of handwriting is called as scripts. There are various characteristics, which describe a particular handwriting and each individual normally has his own handwriting characteristics, which persist in normal circumstances throughout ones life, of course within the range of ‘normal variation’.

Some of the main handwriting characteristics could be mentioned as (1) Speed, (2) Slant, (3) Spacing, (4) Shading, (5) Size, (6) Style, (7) Pen position, (8) Pen lifts, (9) Pen pressure, (10) Pictorial effect, (11) Proportion of letters, [12] Movement, [13] Alignment, [14] Line quality [15] Formation of letters etc, which are to be examined in identification ofhandwriting. Of course all these characteristics may not be relevant in each and every case of handwriting identification. The value of these characteristics depends on each and every case independently.Normally signatures should be compared with signatures and the writings should be compared with writings.

However, if signature is in writing style, then in such cases the signatures can be compared with the writings.

• Every individual handwriting always individual to that person.
• Every individual handwriting undergoes natural variations with the passage of time.
• The range of natural variation depends upon person to person.
• A person can not make two signatures mathematically identical/exactly alike. If two signatures are found to be super imposing over each other then one of them or both of them could be traced forgeries.
• Similarly, a person cannot write better than his normal skill.
• The disputed and the comparatives should always be in same script.