Delhi HC orders N D Tiwari to take DNA test in paternity claim
Justice S Ravindra Bhat said, "There is imminent need for him to give blood sample to conduct the scientific test." The court turned down the 85-year-old former Andhra Pradesh Governor's plea that he cannot be forced to undergo the DNA test, saying it is the right of a child to know his or her biological father.
"It is not in the interest of the child to be declared a bastard," the court said. Justice Bhat passed the order on a paternity suit filed by 31-year-old Rohit Shekhar, claiming to be the biological son of Tiwari.
The veteran Congress leader and four-time chief minister has been battling a paternity suit filed two years ago by Shekhar, now 31. The case is probably the first of its kind involving a prominent political figure in the country.
In a setback to Tiwari, the Delhi High Court in March had ruled it would hear the paternity suit against him. Late last year, another judge of the Delhi High Court had said the case could not be heard in Delhi and should be filed in Hyderabad since Tiwari was the Andhra Pradesh Governor at the time.
Delhi HC orders N D Tiwari to take DNA test in paternity claim
In December, though, Tiwari had to resign as Andhra Governor after an alleged sex scandal -- TV channels in Andhra ran footage that they said showed Tiwari in bed with three young women. In his resignation letter, Tiwari had said he was quitting because of "poor health".
Tiwari has been fighting the paternity case vehemently, describing it as an attempt to malign him. He has argued that if Shekhar wanted to prove Tiwari was his biological father, he should have filed his case when he turned 18.
Tiwari has apparently acknowledged his association with Shekhar's mother Ujjwala Sharma but challenged the petitioner on grounds of jurisdiction (of the court), "limitation" (Tiwari says Rohit should have filed the suit within three years of turning 18) and "cause of action" (Tiwari asks what grounds Rohit has to file the case now).
Rohit had claimed that he came to know about his natural father when he was 12 or 13. He has also alleged he had repeatedly sought the status of his son since he was 18 but was denied.