INTRODUCTION:

In the world of business and literacy most of the transactions take place through document consequently, documents are assuming an increasingly important role in our society. Any matter expressed or described upon any substance by means of letter, figures or marks or by more than one of those means (visible or invisible) intended to be used, for purpose of recording that matter is called a document (1). Falsification of document is also on the increase. Roughly seventy percentage of the physical evidence is related to disputed documents. Many forms of writing may be encountered as evidence in the course of investigation (2).

Thus, identification of handwriting is the most important branch in questioned documents (3). Whether for financial gain or to enable other fraudulent activities, attempts to mislead through the manufacture of forged or counterfeit documents are universally common (4).

Writing is a discernible documentation of a very complicated series of acts controlled by mental and muscular habits of a writer attain by a long prolong practice. The handwriting becomes so automatic that it cannot be so easily acquired at will with the repeated use (5). Forgery is an endeavor made by a man to swindle another by falsely making or modifying a signature or any part of a document (2).

The individual who makes, articulates, or modifies writing so as to pass on a false impression concerning its validness forcing a lawful risk with the motivation behind misdirecting or harming another is guilty of forgery in its contemporary sense (6). A forgery may be committed by writing with pencil or pen or by typewriting, by printing, by engraving, by erasing or altering the contents of a document or by obliterating the original writing etc (5). While imitating a genuine signature, the forger attempts to copy the shape, size, style, slant and other wide features of genuine signature (5). A forgery can never be perfect. The feeling of guilt, the fear of failure and the possibility of punishment is always oppressing the mind of the culprit. It creates mental and physical tension. Simulated forgeries are those in which the forger tries to imitate the handwriting of another person. They are also known as copy, free hand or imitation forgeries. The process of copying from a model signature or writing is a conscious act and is always tends to produce unnaturalness and slow drawn movement and defects in the execution of strokes (5). The forger produces an artistic reproduction of the model and the success of forger depends mainly on his skill, patience and amount of practice (2). The amount of questioned writing is an important factor in simulated forgeries. It is comparatively easy to forge initials of a person; it is also easy to add one or two small words or digits to a text. Short signatures are easily imitated while long signatures are difficult to forge. Closely related to this form of identification process is that of determining the number of different forgers from a quantity of simulations. On occasion there will be two or more forgers attempting to reproduce the same signature. It may be possible to group or associate simulations of the same name by the combinations of defects within the forgeries. By associating and grouping the similar defects (when compared to the genuine signature) it may be possible to conclude and illustrate that there are indeed, two or more different forgers.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

For the examination of simulated forgery, 3 specimen of signature were collected from 50 individuals. The specimen signatures were allowed to forge by simulation i.e. by copying from the model or by keeping the model in the mind just below the genuine signature by traditional method of simulation. The analysis of individual and class characteristics of 100 signature samples (50 genuine, 50 simulated signature) was conducted using Video Spectral Comparator hs 6000 made of poster and freeman at Department of Forensic Science, Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur (C.G.).

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Genuine signature Simulated signature

Fig. 1: Examination of simulated signature no. 1

Table 1: Features of genuine and simulated signature no.1

Sr. no.	Features	Observation		Remark
		Genuine signature	Simulated signature
1.	Starting stroke	Present (blunt)	Present (ink deposition)	Blunt
2.	Retouching	Present	Present	Ink deposing
3.	Loop	Present (oval)	Present (oval)	Oval
4.	Ink deposing	Present	Present	Ink shading
5.	Ending stroke	Present (blunt)	Absent (hook)	Arc
6.	Slant	Present (backward)	Present (backward)	Backward

1. Genuine signature sample shows blunt starting stroke whereas simulated signature shows ink deposition in starting stroke.

2. Genuine as well as simulated signature shows angular curve formation.

3. Genuine as well as simulated signature shows oval loop formation.

4. Genuine as well as simulated signature shows ink deposition.

5. Genuine signature sample shows blunt ending stroke whereas simulated signature shows hook formation in ending stroke.

6. Genuine as well as simulated signature shows backward slant formation.

7. Genuine signature sample shows staff formation whereas simulated signature shows curve formation

Genuine signature Simulated signature

Fig. 2: Examination of simulated signature no. 2

Table 2: Features of genuine and simulated signature no.2

Sr. no.	Features	Observation		Remark
		Genuine signature	Simulated signature
1.	Starting stroke	Present (blunt)	Absent (hook)	Blunt
2.	Curve	Present (angular)	Present (angular)	Angular
3.	Staff	Present (oval)	Absent (oval)	Backward
4.	Starting stroke	Present	Present	Arch
5.	Hook	Present	Absent	Sharp
1.	Starting stroke	Present (blunt)	Absent (hook)	Blunt

1. Genuine signature sample shows blunt starting stroke whereas simulated signature shows hook formation in starting stroke.

2. Genuine and simulated signature shows angular curve formation.

3. Genuine signature sample shows staff formation whereas simulated signature shows curve formation.

4. Genuine signature sample shows hook formation in starting stroke whereas simulated signature shows blunt formation in starting stroke.

5. Genuine signature sample shows hook formation in starting stroke whereas simulated signature shows sharp ending stroke formation.

Genuine Signature Simulated signature

Fig. 3: Examination of simulated signature no. 3

Table 3: Features of genuine and simulated signature no.3

Sr. no.	Features	Observation		Remark
		Genuine signature	Simulated signature
1.	Curve	Present	Absent	Circular
2.	Loop	Present	Present	Oval
3.	Curve	Present	Present	Circular
4.	Hook	Present	Absent	Hook
5.	Ending stroke	Present	Present	Curve
6.	Retouching	Present	Absent	Slant

1. Genuine and simulated signature shows circular curve formation.

2. Genuine as well as simulated signature shows loop formation.

3. Genuine and simulated signature shows curve formation.

4. Genuine signature sample shows hook formation in starting stroke whereas simulated signature shows sharp ending stroke formation.

5. Genuine signature sample shows curve ending formation whereas simulated signature shows blunt ending stroke formation.

6. Genuine and simulated signature sample shows retouching.

Genuine signature Simulated signature

Fig. 4: Examination of simulated signature no. 4

Table 4: Features of Genuine and simulated signature no. 4

Sr. no.	Features	Observation		Remark
		Genuine signature	Simulated signature
1.	Angular curve	Present	Present	Angular
2.	Buckle	Present	Present	Oval
3.	Retouching	Present	Present	Slant
4.	Loop	Present	Absent	Oval sharp
5.	Staff	Present	Present	Slant
6.	Intersecting stroke	Present	Absent	Retouching

1. Genuine as well as simulated signature sample shows angular curve.

2. Genuine and simulated signature sample shows buckle formation in oval shape.

3. Genuine signature sample shows retouching whereas simulated signature shows retouching in slant formation in oval shape.

4. Genuine signature sample shows loop formation whereas simulated signature shows forward loop formation.

5. Genuine signature sample shows staff formation whereas simulated signature also shows staff in slantly formation.

6. Genuine signature sample shows intersecting stroke formation whereas simulated signature also shows connecting stroke between two words.

All the signature samples i.e. genuine and simulated taken from subject were thoroughly analyzed using VSC-6000. VSC is being used for the document that has been altered in some way. It uses filters and different light sources to sense and detect obliterations and alterations.

In preliminary observation it was found that those signature which are weak and small can result into what type of forgery where a document is examine on the preliminaries bases such as government office letter and banks but when such kind of signature are observed under VSC-6000 it gives better regulation and multiparameter to identify and compare the signature which a greater accuracy and prissiness. The VSC system allows to examine all the characteristics as well as fine changes by using such a sophisticated instrument we can say that signature belong to some else. My study on 50 simulated forgery show that weak signature can be pictorial or rhythamatically styleful forged which can misguide to anyone without much problem but using sophisticated tool the signature which are under the doubt should be examined sophisticated technique and proper investigation protocol this will help to prevent from forgery personal damage and money loss.

CONCLUSION:

The various signature samples were viewed and recorded the response of documents / inks when exposed to light of various wavelengths. The model signature is of utmost importance in the investigation of a simulated forgery. When a disputed signature is alleged of being simulated, the genuine signature that is used as the model should be carefully examined to determine facts. It is not unusual for the signature to display patching and retouching made in an effort to correct faulty letter forms. The movement people start learning to write, they introduce deviations from the model writing systems taught. The extent of these deviations increase as he writing style becomes more personalized, resulting in a style which is the product of many factors including the model system, artistic ability, muscular control, nature of employment, frequency of writing and exposures to the writing of others, this results in an individual writing style, the development of which occurs throughout the childhood and adolescent years and often beyond. The characters based on which the analysis of the simulated forgery is done are discussed in detail. These details are essential to eliminate a suspected signature or to prove that the forgery is been done. The simulated forgery detection also becomes a very major aspect of forensic examination. The forensic handwriting examiners have ample knowledge about the class and individual characters used to identify simulated forgery. Implementation of scientific knowledge investigation give better results for the examination of simulated signature the investigation protocol for the analysis by VSC is very high tech and provides greater spectrum for the analysis multi parameter of VSC give more appropriate to examiner to differentiate between genuine or forgery signature.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

Authors acknowledge the immense help received from the scholars whose articles are cited and included in references of this manuscript. The authors are also grateful to authors / editors / publishers of all those articles, journals and books from where the literature for this article has been reviewed and discussed.

REFERENCES:

1. Sharma, BR. Forensic Science in Criminal Investigation and Trial, 5th edition, Universal Law Publishing. 1999

2. Nabar BS. Forensic Science in Crime Investigation. 3^rd edition. 2005

3. Levinson, J. Questioned Document: A lawyer’s Handbook. Academic Press. 2001

4. T. Trubshoe, J. Mc Ginn. Forgery / Counterfeits. Encyclopedia of Forensic Sciences. 2013 Page 360-366.

5. Saxena BL. Law and Technique Relating to Identification of Handwriting, Disputed Documents, Finger Prints, Foot Prints and Detection of Forgeries. 2000

6. Koppenhaver. M. Katherine, Forensic Document Examination, Humana Press. 2007

Received on 28.04.2017 Modified on 17.08.2017

Research J. Pharm. and Tech 2017; 10(12): 4211-4214.

DOI: 10.5958/0974-360X.2017.00770.3