Questioned Document: Erasures, Obliterations and Alterations Basics

UGC-NET Forensic Science Unit IX drill on erasures, obliterations, and alterations in questioned documents. Covers mechanical erasure by rubber eraser, blade, and sandpaper and the resulting paper fibre disturbance, lifting of surface sizing, and feathering of ink at re-written strokes. Chemical erasure using bleach, sodium hypochlorite, and acids destroys the chromophore of ink dyes and leaves characteristic halos, weakened paper fibres, and altered fluorescence under UV. Detection relies on oblique-light examination (raised fibres and surface texture), transmitted light (thinning of paper stock), ultraviolet fluorescence and ultraviolet absorption, infrared luminescence, and infrared reflectance, as well as magnification under a stereo microscope. The Video Spectral Comparator 8000 (VSC-8000, Foster + Freeman Ltd.) integrates all these modes in one instrument and is the reference standard cited by Hilton, Osborn, and Ellen, Day and Davies for multi-spectral document examination. Obliterations by correction fluid (white-out), ink smudging, and physical strike-through are also examined. Additions, including interlineations inserted between existing lines and post-dated entries, and the analysis of ink line crossing sequences to determine the order of intersecting strokes round out the detection module. Charred and burnt document recovery and the Electrostatic Detection Apparatus (ESDA) for indented impressions complete the technical content.

The Indian legal module covers admissibility of expert handwriting and document opinion under Section 39 of the Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA) 2023, which replaces Section 45 of the Indian Evidence Act 1872, and forgery offences under Sections 336 to 338 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) 2023, which replace Sections 463 to 465 of the Indian Penal Code 1860. Institutional anchors include the Central Forensic Science Laboratory (CFSL) Kolkata Questioned Documents division and the Government Examiner of Questioned Documents (GEQD), Shimla.

Topics covered:

• Mechanical erasure: eraser, blade, sandpaper and paper fibre disturbance
• Chemical erasure: bleach and sodium hypochlorite effects on ink and paper
• Detection: oblique light, transmitted light, UV fluorescence, IR luminescence and reflectance
• VSC-8000 (Foster + Freeman) multi-spectral document examination
• Obliterations: correction fluid, ink smudge, and strike-through
• Additions, interlineations, insertions, and post-dated entry detection
• Ink line crossing sequence analysis to determine stroke order
• BSA 2023 Sec 39 / BNS 2023 Sec 336: expert opinion and forgery law

Allow 30 minutes.