Decipherment of Latent Handwritten Impressions â A Case Study

Abstract

The present work is based on a case received in the State Forensic Science Laboratory, Junga, Himachal Pradesh, India. The laboratory was asked to fix the identity of the deceased by examining the latent impressions present on an identity card found at the crime scene, near the corpse. The writing on the identity card was completely washed out due to weathering, leaving behind only some latent impressions made by the writing instrument in place of writing. The laboratory successfully deciphered the identity of deceased by carefully examining these latent impressions even after a time lapse of about a year. A number of techniques were applied but stereomicroscope again emerges out as a versatile tool for surface examination and gave the best results.