FORENSIC

INVESTIGATION

S. Hrudai Tej
Asst. Prof of Law
ICFAI Law School -
IFHE
 NOTION OF
FORENSIC
•Forensic scienceINVESTIGATION
is the backbone of criminal investigation.
•Forensic science uses several scientific disciplines to
determine criminals based on such traces or clues.
•The process entails systematically searching the crime scene
for tangible clues.
•Everything discovered at a crime scene, including
fingerprints, blood spatter, DNA samples, etc., narrates a
story, and forensic investigation helps to make it reliable.
• Everyone involved, from first responders to end-users of the
information, should understand the forensic process,
scientific disciplines, and services provided by forensic
labs.

• It is a methodical process of recognizing, documenting, and collecting

crucial evidence from the crime scene.
• The first responder, usually a police officer, plays a critical role in the
entire crime scene investigation process.
The initial responsibility of the police officer is to preserve the integrity
of the scene and the evidence.

• Forensic investigation is the collection and investigation of all

physical evidence related to a crime in order to reach a conclusion
about a suspect.
What is forensic Investigation?
A forensic investigation is when a trained expert uses scientific techniques and
special tools to examine evidence.

Forensic Investigation includes:

1. Physical Evidences
2. Chemical Evidences
3. Biological evidences
4. Digital evidences
5. Firearms & Toolmarks Evidence, etc.
IMPORTANT TYPES OF FORENSIC DISCILPINES

• Forensic Archaeology
• Forensic Dentistry
• Forensic Entomology
• Forensic Graphology
• Forensic Pathology, etc.
Forensic Archaeology
• Forensic anthropology deals with
severely decomposed human remains
and analyzes bones to determine age
and cause of death through
techniques like carbon dating.
• It plays a crucial role in investigating
mass graves or incidents with multiple
casualties by identifying victims
through facial reconstruction
software.
Forensic Dentistry
• As teeth have distinct patterns, the
marks left behind can identify a suspect.
• The shape of the jaw can also indicate
age, gender, and DNA can be deduced
from teeth like with bone marrow and
hair. Bite marks have deep enough
impressions to reveal someone’s identity.
Forensic Entomology
Forensic entomology is the study of insects (like flies, beetles, or maggots) found
on a dead body or crime scene. These insects help investigators determine:

• Time of death (how long the victim has been dead).

• Location of death (since some insects only live in certain environments).

• Whether the body was moved (if insects don’t match the crime scene’s habitat).
Forensic Graphology
• Forensic graphologists analyses
handwriting such as ransom notes,
letters or note containing abusive, or
malicious statements or accusations
and blackmail demands.
• The handwriting can indicate the
writer’s state of mind at the time the
note was penned.
• Handwriting can give insights about
– Mood, Motivation, Integrity
Forensic Pathology
• Forensic pathology is the branch of pathology that deals with determining the
cause of death through the examination of a deceased body, especially in
cases where the death is suspected to be due to unnatural or criminal causes.

• It involves conducting autopsies, which are detailed examinations of the corpse, to

investigate whether the death was a result of suicide, homicide, or natural
causes.
PHASES OF FORENSIC INVESTIGATION PROCESS

Identification,

Preservation,

Examination,
Analysis,
 1. Identification
Example: A murder case where a bloodstained knife is found at the crime scene.
Identification Step:
i. Preliminary: This is a knife with red stains and the handle has a partial fingerprint.
ii. In-Depth analysis: Kastle-Meyer test (chemical test for blood) → Stain turns pink,
confirming it’s human blood. Fingerprint enhancement is examined.
iii. Comparison: Blood DNA → Compared to:
a. Victim’s DNA (matches).
b. Fingerprint → Run through AFIS (Automated Fingerprint ID System): Matches Suspect
X’s right thumb.
iv. Conclusion: “The blood on the knife matches the victim’s DNA profile.”
• Preliminary Examination - This is the initial phase where the investigator
surveys and organises the evidence to determine what kind of expert analysis
is required.
• Indepth analysis - This step involves analysing the evidence itself to establish its
identity or source.
• Comparative Examination - This allows the expert to compare the evidence with
known samples to identify similarities and differences, ultimately helping
demonstrate a match or mismatch.
• Conclusion - Based on the previous examinations, the expert can now draw a
conclusion about the identity or source of the evidence, within the scope of
their expertise and competence.
2. PRESERVATION
• Proper preservation of potential evidence is crucial to prevent deterioration
and maintain its admissibility in court.
• It requires trained experts using appropriate techniques and tools to keep
the evidence in its original probative condition.
• Effective preservation involves proper packaging, labeling, documentation,
and
maintaining an unbroken chain of custody.
• Failure to preserve evidence correctly can render it inadmissible, despite its
relevance to the case.
3. Examination:
The examination is the thorough inspection of evidence by qualified
experts utilising scientific techniques and equipment.
4. Analysis:
Analysis involves making sense of the examined evidence by
interpreting the information to uncover the truth about what happened.
It also evaluates the credibility and admissibility of the evidence to
be presented in court.