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Objective: To study different types tempering in questioned documents.

Requirements:

1. Different types of pens

2. Paper

3. Eraser

4. Blade

5. Microscope

6. Camera

Theory:

Document is any material that convey a message in the form of sign, symbol, color and letter. Document is not only in the form of written part. For example, red light is a document as it is conveying us to stop. Questioned documents are the documents whose authenticity is unknown or in question. The origin of questioned document is not known, for example, autonomous letter, suicide letter, any form of secret code, any photograph and many more.

Falsifying a document is known as tempering and it can be done in many ways which make that document a ‘QUESTIONED DOCUMENT’.

Different types of tempering done in document are as follow:

1. Erasure: Erasing a part or complete document is known as erasure by some physical or chemical means. Erasure is of 2 types-

a. Physical Erasure- It is type of erasure in which physical means are used to erase a part of document such as eraser used to rub the paper or the blade used to remove the written material. This will disturb the upper layer of the document.

b. Chemical Erasure- It is a type of erasure in which some chemical or mixture of these are used to decipher the document. For example, bleach is used to erase the ink.

2. Addition: Addition is a type of tempering in which there is addition of some text in the existing document. For example, some numbers added to the amount of the cheque or some text to wills.

3. Alteration: Alteration means changing some text of already existing document. For example, changing one number to other (changing 3 into 8), changing names, etc.

4. Obliteration: Obliteration means to smear the original writing so as to make it invisible or in non- understandable form. For example, using whitener to hide the text or smearing text with ink are some common obliteration methods.

Forensic Significance of Tempered Documents:

1. Forensic tempering leaves a trail of evidence.

2. Personal identification of an individual can be done by handwriting analysis.

3. Types of tempering used by the criminal talks about the personality of him/her.

4. These tempering can be uncovered by using different forensic equipment.

5. Original text written over the document can be analyzed.

6. It is admissible in court of law and can be used as an evidence.

7. In some of the cases, it stores information that cannot be taken up during the investigation process.

Procedure:

A. For Erasure:

1. Write some text over the paper.

2. Try to erase it with eraser and blade.

3. Take photograph of the complete document.

4. Look the complete document very carefully.

5. Pick the microscope and identify which type of erasure has been used to temper the document.

6. If it is physical erasure, then look on the superficial layer if any text can be deciphered.

7. If it is a chemical erasure, then try to find which chemical has been used to temper the document to recover the text.

8. Also, look on the back side of the paper to see the indentation to decipher the text.

B. For Addition

1. Write some text over the paper.

2. Try to add something in the text with similar colored pen but from different company.

3. Take photograph of the complete document.

4. Look the complete document carefully for the addition text.

5. Use microscope to see the difference in ink and writing with which the text has been added.

C. Alteration:

1. Write some text over the paper.

2. Try to change one number to another

3. Take photograph of the complete document.

4. Look the complete document carefully for the addition text.

5. Use microscope to see the difference in ink and writing with which the text has been altered.

D. For Obliteration:

1. Write some text over the paper.

2. Try to oblitere it by spreading some ink over it and by whitener.

3. Take photograph of the complete document.

4. Look the complete document carefully for the addition text.

5. Look on the back side of the paper to decipher the text.

6. In some cases, different inks have been used to obliterate the document which can be very helpful in further examination.

Observations:

One will observe different types of tempering in documents.

Results:

Observations will tell us the difference between forging and unintentional tempering of documents.

Precautions:

1. Focus the camera while taking pictures.

2. Take pictures from the angle where better vision is possible.

3. Do not temper the document.

4. Handle the document very carefully.

5. Use microscope to observe different types of tempering.

Prepared by-

Ms Shrutika Singla, Joint Secretary of AFRS

Presented by-

Ms Vaishnavi Pulli, Member of AFRS