Hearing on N.D. Tiwari’s plea adjourned

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court Wednesday adjourned till Sep 24 the hearing on a petition filed by former Andhra Pradesh governor N.D. Tiwari challenging the court’s order to pay Rs.75,000 as cost on his earlier plea.

The court Aug 13 dismissed his petition seeking deletion of certain paragraphs from the paternity suit filed by lawyer Rohit Shekhar, who claims to be his biological son.

While rejecting his petition, the court imposed a fine of Rs.75,000 on him and said it was an attempt to delay the matter.

Tiwari’s plea sought deletion of references to a 2005 incident when Rohit sought an appointment with Tiwari but the Congress leader allegedly avoided him.

On Wednesday, Justice Vikramjit Sen fixed the matter for hearing Sep 24 and sought additional documents.

The court Tuesday reserved its order on Rohit’s plea seeking a direction for a DNA test on Tiwari to prove his claim that the veteran Congress leader was his biological son.

Justice S. Ravindra Bhat Tuesday reserved the order on whether the test should be allowed. The order was reserved after hearing the contentions of 84-year-old Tiwari and Rohit.

During the hearing, the former governor of Andhra Pradesh opposed the plea of the petitioner and pleaded that he could not be forced to undergo a DNA test.

Countering the allegations, Tiwari hit back at petitioner’s mother Ujjwala Sharma, saying he never had any physical relationship with her.

“The plaintiff (Rohit) is not entitled to seek a DNA test as a matter of right. The same is contrary not only to the law but also to equity,” Tiwari’s lawyer said.

The high court earlier rejected Tiwari’s plea for dismissal of the petition on the ground that it was filed 31 years after the petitioner was born in order to malign his image.