A Modern Writing Instrument Used as a Weapon for Committing Bank Cheque Fraud

• Main Authors: Vivekkumar Mangilal Chayal, Rakesh Rawal, Deepak R. Handa, Vijay Verma, Narendrakumar Mangilal Chayal, Himanshu A. Pandya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Paulista de Estudos Bioéticos e Jurídicos 2019-12-01
• Series: Brazilian Journal of Forensic Sciences, Medical Law and Bioethics
• Subjects: Forensic science and investigations; Financial and bank frauds; Questioned document; ReWrite-erasable ink pen; VSC-6000/HS; Erasures
• Online Access: https://www.ipebj.com.br/bjfs/index.php/bjfs/article/view/758

In the recent era, investigation of dye, pigments and powder-based ink examination are big challenges. Literature and survey reveal that, some erasable ink pens were consistently used to commit economic frauds in bank instruments like cheques, withdrawal slips, demand drafts, fix deposit receipts, counterfeit currency, and other essential documents. Some manufacturers provide magic erasable writing instruments. Here, we deciphered this type of ink on different documents with the help of VSC-6000/HS. The main aim of this research work is to develop simple, rapid, sensitive, eco-friendly to retrieve original writings of erasable ink. Total of 640 test samples were prepared under the same conditions with different ink pens on different papers/cheques, where each sample was written with the ReWrite-erasable ink pen, thermal ink pen, roller ball high tech ink pen, normal ballpoint pen and gel pens for the comparison purpose. The test samples were examined under different types of scientific instruments, physical examination before and after exposing to different environmental conditions, sunlight and at room temperature (25o C) for the period of one hundred and eighty-one (181) days. This technique to retrieve the original disappeared writings done with a ReWrite-erasable ink pen is very easy, simple, rapid, non-destructive, eco-friendly, convenient and sensitive to detect manipulations done in forgery and in suspect documents. Detection of ghost strokes under VSC-6000/HS with different functions, like fluorescence spotlight and specific (300 to 365 nm) UV range will provide a new avenue by, which the forensic document scientist can identify the erased writing that might otherwise go undetected with other more frequently used methods.