PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION OF

DOCUMENTS
 INTRODUCTION
• Purpose– Why PE is necessary?
• How it differs from main lab
examination?
• Minimum requirements of PE
1. Magnifying glass, Angle poise lamp,
comfortable chair & table, metal scale,
good natural light
2. Ample patience
3. Healthy skepticism--refusal to take
things at face value
• Background details:
The full story surrounding the appearance
of the document should be written down
in detail for two reasons:
1. The examiner will be alert to any
significant discovery made during
examination.
2. Once the story has been put no
modification to reconcile the facts can
be made.
• Description of documents:
The document when subjected to
different examination procedures is
susceptible to wear and tear. Hence notes
should be properly maintained and
description of the document should be
written when it is first received.
 THE PHYSICAL APPEARANCE OF THE
DOCUMENT
• Folds and creases: If ink spreads, it
indicates that ink line was made after
folding the document. If no indicates the
paper was folded after the ink has dried.
• Odour: Paper absorbs volatile
components which give rise to
characteristic odour of tobacco, cosmetics
and fungi. Odour can help in identifying
the place where the document has been
kept or identifying the person in whose
possession the document was present.
• Impressions/ indentations
• Cancellation stamps: The pressure applied
on envelopes by cancellation stamps in
post offices causes indentations on the
contents which can help in tracing back
the date.
• Writing paper: Impressions found on writing
paper can also help in crime investigation.
• Typescript impressions
• Transmitted light examination: accomplished by
holding the document before a strong light. This
helps in detection of watermarks, wire marks,
erasures etc.
• Surface of a document: Examination of both sides
of the document should be done in strong daylight
and colour of both sides should be noted.
• Blots and smears: Blots and smears are potential
areas to identify any marks made by forger.
• Erased type script: It is possible to erase typescript
by an abrasive loaded rubber but smears are left
behind. However, indentations can help in
identification of such typescript.
• Dimensions: The dimensions and shape of the
document should be noted because it is easier to
cut the document rather than to erase it.
• Perforations and adhesive stamps: The
irregularities made during tearing at perforations
can help to link it to the counterfoil.
• Holes and tears: Holes made by fastening tags,
Pin/staple pin holes etc. Artificially created holes
 THE CONTENT OF THE DOCUMENT
• Written, typed, or printed matter
• Secret/ invisible writings
• Extraneous markings, like offset impressions,
presence of ink or other marks which are not part
of the writing
• Colour or shade of the type script, or
inconsistency in alignment, which may indicate
addition/ alteration
• Erased type script
• Ink lines
• Signatures, position of the signature vis
a vis the body writing, signatures
obtained by trickery etc., presence of
guide line, or double lines in a
signature
• Adhesive stamps and continuity of
stroke of signatures over and after the
stamps
• Receipts– detection of evidence of
anachronisms based on history of
writing materials
• Ballot papers, evidence of marking
cross by a single writer
• Envelops containing the documents.
Several envelops comprising rate
quotations allegedly originating from
different firms are usually written by
one and the same hand
• Entries in note-books, diaries, log books,
forged account books etc. might have
been prepared in one and the same
sequence instead of different dates/
periods
• Blotting paper- examination in a mirror
may provide evidence of its fraudulent
use
 FURTHER READING
• Suspect Documents—Wilso R Harrison, pages
28-63
• Questioned Documents—A S Osborn