Subject FORENSIC SCIENCE
Paper No and Title Paper No. 8: Questioned Document
Module No and Title Module No.17: Alteration in Documents- Addition and
overwriting
Module Tag FSC_P8_M17
FORENSIC SCIENCE PAPER No. 8: Questioned Document
Module No.17: Alteration in Documents- Addition and overwriting
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Learning Outcomes
2. Introduction to Alteration
3. Addition
4. Case study related to alteration: Addition
5. Interlineations
6. Sheet insertion
7. Overwriting
7.1 Cases related to overwriting
7.2 Examination of Overwriting
8. Summary
FORENSIC SCIENCE PAPER No. 8: Questioned Document
Module No.17: Alteration in Documents- Addition and overwriting
1. Learning Outcomes
After studying this module, you will be able to
Know what are alterations
Learn the difference between addition and deletion
Identify the alteration in documents
2. Introduction to Alteration
Alteration is defined as any change to a document which gives it a different effect from
that it originally possessed. If change is made after execution of a document and without
the consent of the other party or concerned person, then such change is called fraudulent
alteration.
The alteration can be done by:
Addition /Interlineations
Overwriting
Features of fraudulent alteration:
These alterations are done in such a way that they may pass unnoticed under
regular examination of the document.
The alteration methods are usually latent or may be so minute that an unskilled or
incompetent examiner may not be able to detect them.3.
3. Addition
Addition in the document is defined as the insertion of any word, digit etc which changes
the meaning or value of the document. These insertions are made in such spaces as may
have been left blank in the regular entries either in the middle or at the bottom of the
page.
If additional matter is written in a small space the size of letters will be smaller and
writing will appear cramped or if space is large enough then letters are in large size to
cover up the remaining space.
In addition alteration the examination can be done to identify the characteristic features
of handwriting:
size of letter,
spacing and pen-strokes
Colour ink should be made.
FORENSIC SCIENCE PAPER No. 8: Questioned Document
Module No.17: Alteration in Documents- Addition and overwriting
4. Case Study related to Alteration: Addition
The alteration of document by addition can be best understood by the case study as
follows:
A case was submitted which required determining whether an entry in a diary that read
"Meeting 2pm Signing Wend" (sic) was all written sequentially on the one occasion.
The examination revealed that the words "Meeting", "2pm" and "Wend" all exhibited
similar void or stria patterns whereas the word "Signing" did not exhibit a corresponding
stria pattern. Such stria patterns are caused by burrs on the ball housing and/or an
accumulation of fibres and other materials that build up between the ball and the
housing. These burrs and/or extraneous materials cause ink to be wiped from the rotating
ball during the act of writing and create a consistent pattern whilst ever the grasp of the
pen remains constant.
In this case the inconsistency in the stria pattern provides strong evidence that the word
"Signing" was not written as a sequential part of the entire entry.
FORENSIC SCIENCE PAPER No. 8: Questioned Document
Module No.17: Alteration in Documents- Addition and overwriting
5. Interlineations
Interlineations defined as the writing between the lines of any instrument for the purpose
of adding to it or correcting what has been written.
In examining interlineations, the tint or colour of ink, quality of pen, size of letters,
sequence of crossing strokes and the parts of letters which come in contact with the
originally written letters should be minutely studied. The fraudulent entries are likely to
differ from the original or adjacent writing in size, slant and spacing and the shade of ink
etc.
6. Sheet insertion
It is generally found that the public documents and accounts books, Bahis of the factories or
offices are changes by insertion of extra or substituted pages. In such cases, the paper should be
examined with regard to its colour and shade, thickness, calendar and water- mark. Secondly, the
ink of the writing is observed under a microscope. Thirdly, the line to line space of the line should
be compared if the papers are ruled ones.
The system of binding if damaged will also serve the purpose of detecting the fraudulent
substitution of the leaves.
The removal of a page from any document and substituting another in its place containing matter
having different meaning from that of the page removed is a kind of fraud. The substituted page
may have similar appearance of the colour of paper and its composition may be different from
other pages of the book. If the substituted document is written by pen and ink the examination
and comparison of the colour or tint of ink, pen and the characters of the letter will reveal the
forgery. If the inserted sheet is a typed matter, the fraud may exposed by the shape, size and
design of the type. The typewriting may reveal that a different type of machine was used.
7. Overwriting
The overwriting may be genuine or fraudulent. Sometimes in order to correct a
spelling mistake, to make writing or figures more legible or to correct/change some
writing, the same writer may overwrite the strokes or lines. Such overwriting are
generally made boldly and no attempt is made to conceal the overwritten or
overwriting is the habit of a writer, the strokes are drawn carelessly. The fraudulent
overwriting to change the contents of documents are usually made in a careful
manner and every effort is made by the preparator to conceal such changes made by
him. When the original writing instrument and/ or ink are not available, the
preparator tries to match the colour of inks and nature of stroke. However, mostly
FORENSIC SCIENCE PAPER No. 8: Questioned Document
Module No.17: Alteration in Documents- Addition and overwriting
he is not aware of the fact that the inks though of
the same colour are always not the same and they
may differ considerably in their dye composition.
7.1. Cases related to overwriting
Fraudulent overwriting are generally found in the following types of cases-
(a) When figures or words are changed to raise their value. E.g. figure 1 to 7, fig 3
to 8, 6 to 16 etc. the preparator may also overwrite the remaining figure or word
of the entry so that the tint of ink may appear the same and the difference of ink
may not be detected.
(b) When the entire writing or part of document are overwritten to conceal
fraudulent additions made with the ink having different shade other than the
original writing.
(c) When a writer wants to disguise his signature or writing, he may overwrite
letters to conceal their original writing.
(d) When pencil or carbon outlines are converted to a traced forgery.
(e) Sometimes overwriting is purposely done to make the original writing unfit for
comparison or to conceal the original writing characteristics.
7.2. Examination of overwriting
Most of the overwriting can be detected by examining the document carefully
under direct light, by oblique light and transmitted light to find out any overlapping
and changed intensity of the strokes and under low power microscope to detect
careful joining, traces of original ink beneath the overwritten stroke and for
differentiating inks.
Sometimes an examination with UV rays, IR rays and colour filters may also prove
useful for this purpose.
The examiner should never forget to examine the back of the document, because
overwriting are usually made cautiously by applying heavy pen pressure causing
embossing on the back of paper which may help a lot to reveal the truth.
8. Summary
Any change to a document which gives it a different effect from that it originally
possessed is known as alteration in documents.
They can be classified in different categories such as addition/ interlineations or
overwriting.
FORENSIC SCIENCE PAPER No. 8: Questioned Document
Module No.17: Alteration in Documents- Addition and overwriting
Addition is referred to the insertion of sentence, a
word, letter to the small space left between the lines or letters.
Addition in the document can be performed in many ways, a sheet insertion is
also a type of addition in which a new sheet in attached to the whole document.
The fraudulent overwriting is done to change the contents of documents that are
usually made in a careful manner.
Overwriting in documents can be examined by oblique light or UV ray.
FORENSIC SCIENCE PAPER No. 8: Questioned Document
Module No.17: Alteration in Documents- Addition and overwriting
