DEAD HAND FORGERY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20668, 13 September 1930, Page 2 (Supplement)

DEAD HAND FORGERY.

AMAZING CRIME BY INDIANS.

USE OF WOMAN'S THUMB-PRINT.

HOW A DOCTOR WAS TRICKED.

On ot tho most amazing criminal cases ever recorded in the annals of British justice roccntly engaged attention, in London, of the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council. It revealed the forgery of a will by use of tho thumb-print " signature ' of a dead woman and an extraordinary trick practised on a doctor in order to get from him a medical certificate.

Tho culprits in tho affair were three Indians, Mahboob Ali, Mahfooz Ali, his brother, and Muinal llaq, their servant. For their share in the crime each was sentenced to five years' rigorous imprisonment and a fine of 1,000 rupees (£66) by the court at Sitapur. The chief court of Oudh, at Lucknow, subsequently confirmed their convictions and sentences. The throe now petitioned to the .Judicial Committee of tho Privy Council for leave to appeal against the judgment. Tho will purported to bo that of Rani liarkatunnissa, aunt of tho prisoners Ali. Sho was one of three widows of a wealthy Indian Rajah, Shamsher Bahadur.

In April 1927, while " ailing from a cold and cough," tho Rani left her palace to obtain medical treatment at Lucknow. She took with her a party of eight servants, including Muinal Ilaq and Miss Baghin, a maid. Mahfooz Ali was in tho party. Tho Rani was attended by Dr. Hakim Hadi Raza and died on April 13 at sunset.

Tlio petition rolated that at about nine p.m. that night Mahfooz Ali entered the room in which the Rani's body lay, and on two blank sheets of paper took impressions of the dead woman's thumb. On one piece lie also took an impression of the thumb of the servant, Miss Baghin, telling her that he had to send information of the death to his brothers.

On April 14 tha brothers went to Dr. liaza and offered him £750 to do one of three things—attest the blank paper with the thumb-marks of the Hani and her maid; give a certificate that sho died on tho 14th; or obtain a certificate from some doctor that sho was alivo on the 14th. The doctor agreed to do the last, and ho fetched an English surgeon, Captain Mackey. The surgeon was told that the Rani was ill, and at the same time ono of tho brothers told ths maid sho was not looking well, and must have medical attendance. From behind purdah curtains Miss Babhin was porsuadod to thrust out her hand for examination. Dr. Mackey felt her pulse, put questions to her, and granted a certificate saying that the Rani, whom ho had boon led to believe he was examining, was of sound mind and capablo of attending to business. A family quarrel over tho estate at the Rani's palace brought tho matter to a head, and exposed tho The fact was that the Rani always signed documents with the left thumb. The forged print was taken from the right-hand thumb of the dead woman. The petition was dismissed.