A Forensic Study of Lateral Palm Prints (Hypothenar Area) with a View to Fix the Authorship

This study was undertaken to establish the inherent relationship between the palm print obtained and the signature with the help of research based on the principles of fingerprint and document examination. The evidential value of palm prints in forensic applications is clear, as about 30% of the latent prints recovered from crime scenes are from palms (Jain and Feng, 2009). Whenever the writer writes on paper, his/her lateral print (hypothenar area) rests on the paper and a latent image is formed below the signature or sometimes above the signature. It is an established fact that the ridge details remain the same from ‘womb to grave’ and they cannot be exactly alike, between any two individuals. Therefore, they can be examined for the identity of a person. Utilising this concept, the reliability of document examination can be improved and the forensic expert can obtain useful legal information about the writer. The evidential value of such lateral palm prints can be placed at par with the fingerprints in the court of law and right on top of all other scientific evidences.