PARTIAL OR ‘semi-fingerprints’ gathered from a scene of crime are of no use to investigating agencies. Such fingerprints are dismissed as ‘unfit for identification’. But now, there’s a ray of hope for such agencies in the form of a new technique developed by city criminologist CK Johari.
“The new computer-based method named as Pinoscopy would be handy for such solving such bemused cases,” said Johari, who has recently returned from Bangkok after presenting a demonstration on fingerprints before a Thailand investigating agency.
About the method. Johari said the need of the hour was to devise such a technique of examination of the disputed (semi or partial fingerprint) and specimen thumb impressions. “My effort was to establish identity between the two impressions with the help of technique,” he added.
Talking about the technique, he said the disputed picture is superimposed over the specimen. “This is where the importance of enlarging the two photographs on the same scale can well be understood,” he said and added that three pinholes synchronised in a manner that one is overlapped the other.” Light is then passed through the three tiny holes to establish synchronisation. The next step is to join the two prints in the superimposed condition; on the left side in such a manner, that they may appear to be two consecutive pages of a book.
Johari said the easiest way to fasten them was by using a stapler along the left side. “Utmost care must be taken to ensure that the three holes which are in the disputed and specimen prints remain in place by passing three drawing board pins through the three holes,” he added. Once the two photographs are affixed in perfect alignment, the upper or the disputed print is cut horizontally into strips of 1 cm or 0.5 inch breadth, right to left, leaving sufficient space along the left side, at the same time ensuring that each of the strips covers the entire thumb impression. “Thus when any of these strips is lifted and folded back (barring top one the lowest) from the lower photograph, the ridges of the under design will be in continuation with the upper pattern in case of identical thumb impressions. Each strip of upper print when lifted causes a superficial or apparent loss of the pattern or flow of ridges.”
{{/usCountry}}Johari said the easiest way to fasten them was by using a stapler along the left side. “Utmost care must be taken to ensure that the three holes which are in the disputed and specimen prints remain in place by passing three drawing board pins through the three holes,” he added. Once the two photographs are affixed in perfect alignment, the upper or the disputed print is cut horizontally into strips of 1 cm or 0.5 inch breadth, right to left, leaving sufficient space along the left side, at the same time ensuring that each of the strips covers the entire thumb impression. “Thus when any of these strips is lifted and folded back (barring top one the lowest) from the lower photograph, the ridges of the under design will be in continuation with the upper pattern in case of identical thumb impressions. Each strip of upper print when lifted causes a superficial or apparent loss of the pattern or flow of ridges.”
{{/usCountry}}“Thus the disputed thumb impression may be shown to be identical with the specimen thumb impression based on the continuity of flow of ridges, between the two superimposed prints,” said Johari and added that the technique will put an end to the dispute regarding minimum number of points required to prove identity by different agencies across the world.
As regards efforts to propagate the technique, he said that letters have been written to state governments and the Union government, but there has been no response, whereas there has been responses from countries like Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore. “The technique is being studied in these countries,” he said and smiled away India might be waiting to take from such countries.