SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL (DEEMED UNIVERSITY)

A Critical Study of Fingerprint examination in India

Submitted by:
Arjun Mohan
17010323015

3rd Year, Division A

In
January, 2020

Under the guidance of

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Introduction:
One of the most important purposes of collection of physical evidence is to establish the identity
of the suspect. The identification is possible through a variety of evidences. Finger prints are
considered to be one of the best means for personal identification. The usual methods of
identification lie in finding Pattern (First level) and Galton Details or ridge characteristics
(Second level details) at their correlative positions in two finger prints. Any person can make an
attempt to change his/her voice or handwriting but it is impossible to change finger prints
because they are unique (even the finger prints of two fingers of the same person never match)
and permanent. The palmer surfaces of the hands and the plantar surfaces of the feet (including
distal phalanges) have ridged skin and are called papillary or friction ridge skin (Schroter, 1814).
These ridges once they are formed in foetal life, except for growing in size remain unchanged
throughout life and even after death or till the bodies decomposed. If the epidermis is injured it
re-grows very quickly and, as long as the injury has not penetrated deep into the generating layer
of the epidermis, the pattern of the ridges on the healed surface will be identical with the pattern
as it existed prior to the injury.

Finger prints besides having application in criminal investigation, are also useful in the positive
identification of deceased persons and disaster victims. In comparison to all other methods of
identification, fingerprinting alone has proved to be both infallible and practical.

Finger prints are the impressions made by the papillary ridges at the distal portion of fingers and
thumbs. These ridges of the fingers are formed in 3-4th month of their foetal life and except for
growing in size remain unchanged throughout life. Finger prints are impression produced by the
roughly parallel raised lines separated by grooves, which come together to form a pattern in the
central portion of the fingers. These raised lines provide friction to the fingers, so they are also
known as friction ridges; these are unique to each finger of the individual. Such impressions
when found at crime scene needs to be developed, lifted and are compared with like prints taken
from suspects as specimen; they are the most valuable clues found at the crime scene. Prints are
mostly conclusive evidence. An expert’s report may state three possible finding: a) The subject
made the prints. b)The subject has not made the prints. c)The print had insufficient details to be
evaluated. The patterns formed by the ridges never change throughout a person's life. Criminals
have often tried to change or destroy their finger prints, but they always grow back in exactly the

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same pattern or if the damage is so severe enough they are replaced by patches of scar tissue
which themselves form identifiable patterns.

Objectives:

 To find out the relevance of fingerprint examination in forensic science.

Research Questions:

 Whether fingerprint examination is treated as a significant procedure with regard

Methodology:

QUALITATIVE RESEARCH:

This research paper is based on a qualitative research. It requires gathering relevant information,
reviews and reading books on forensic science and criminology laws, and also gather
information from the notable case laws upon the several issues involved in fingerprint analysis in
order to arrive at a more complete understanding of the concept of crime and evidence with
regard to forensic science.

CONTENT ANALYSIS:

Abiding the guidelines of qualitative research, the researcher has adapted to the use of a method
of content analysis for the fulfillment of this study. The researcher is using a period of 1 month
for developing this research paper from December to January 2020. This methodology is
commonly used by researchers to arrive to a conclusion by collecting qualitative data from media

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such as research documents, legal journals, articles, and other scholarly products. Several articles
and researches published by renowned writers has been the foundation for the pursuit of this
study. Such content obtained has been carefully scrutinized and has been assess

Literature Review:

The knowledge of fingerprint is quite ancient. Probably the most famous of ancient finger prints
design are the carvings on the granite wall slabs of a Neolithic burial passage or dolmen, situated
on an island of Brittancy, L’lle de Gavr’inis (Cummins, 1930; and Bridges, 1937) and referred
these carvings to be of Dermatoglyphics. In 1770, Bewick engraved some of his own fingerprints
as a sign of individuality and also stamped receipts with an engraved fingerprint (De Forest,
1930).

‘Panja’ which include finger prints along with palm prints was used for many centuries in India
as is evident from the seals found in Mohenjodaro and Harappa and our ancient texts such as
Mahabharat and Ramayana (Chatterjee, 1967).The Hindus were first to classify different patterns
as ‘Chakra’ and ‘Shankh’ etc. Faulds (1880) published an article in the scientific journal named
‘Nature’. Where he discussed fingerprints as a means of personal identification and can be used
in tracing criminals from fingerprints. Then Galton in 1892 published his book “Fingerprints” to
establish the individuality and permanence of fingerprints. He identified the characteristics by
which prints can be identified. These characteristics (minutia) are still in use today and referred
as Galton’s Details.

Chapterization:

This study is compartmentalized into three chapters:

Chapter I: deals with the historical significance and definitions of concepts regarding fingerprint
examination in India.

Chapter II: deals with the scientific inferences and recent developments in the field of fingerprint
examination.

Chapter III: deals with the importance of fingerprint examination in criminal trial.