Questioned Document: Documents Definition, Types and Preliminary Examination

This mock covers the foundational layer of questioned document examination as tested in UGC-NET Forensic Science Paper II Unit IX. Questions span the legal definition of a document under Section 2(1)(d) of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023 (formerly Section 3 of the Indian Evidence Act 1872), the classification of documents into public, private, electronic (BSA Section 63, formerly IEA Section 65B), and negotiable instruments such as cheques and promissory notes, and the step-by-step preliminary examination workflow, visual inspection, magnification at 10x to 50x, oblique (raking) light, transmitted light, ultraviolet (UV) fluorescence, and infrared (IR) reflectance. Instrumental coverage includes the Video Spectral Comparator VSC-8000 and VSC-6000 (Foster + Freeman, UK), stereomicroscopy (10x to 40x), and comparison microscopy. Photography protocols include 1:1 perpendicular capture with the ABFO No. 2 scale and oblique lighting for surface texture. Institutional workflow covers submission to the Questioned Document (QD) division of the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL Kolkata, Hyderabad, Chandigarh) or State FSL, and chain of custody under Section 105 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) 2023. Expert opinion admissibility flows through Section 39 BSA 2023 (formerly IEA Section 45), and electronic document certification through Section 63 BSA 2023.

Suited for MSc Forensic Science students, UGC-NET Paper II aspirants preparing Unit IX, and FACT candidates. The Government Examiner of Questioned Documents (GEQD), headquartered at Shimla with branches at Kolkata and Hyderabad, is the apex QD authority in India, and questions here align with its published examination framework.

Topics covered:

• Document definition under BSA 2023 Section 2(1)(d) and IEA 1872 Section 3
• Public, private, electronic, and negotiable instrument document types
• Preliminary examination workflow: visual, magnification, oblique, transmitted, UV, IR
• VSC-8000 and VSC-6000 (Foster + Freeman) functions
• Stereomicroscope and comparison microscope applications
• Photography: 1:1 perpendicular with ABFO scale and oblique illumination
• CFSL/SFSL QD division submission and GEQD institutional roles
• Chain of custody (BNSS 2023 Section 105) and expert opinion (BSA 2023 Section 39)

Allow 30 minutes.