Delhi High Court dismisses N D Tiwari’s plea against fine in paternity suit

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court on Friday dismissed veteran Congress leader and former Andhra Pradesh Governor N D Tiwari’s plea challenging imposition of Rs 75,000 as cost on him for seeking deletion of certain paragraphs from a paternity suit filed against him by a man, who is claiming to be his biological son.

A bench comprising Justices Vikramjit Sen and Mukta Gupta refused to permit Tiwari to amend his application in which he had opposed the claim made in the paternity suit.

84-year-old Tiwari had approached the division bench after a single judge of the high court had on August 13 dismissed his plea seeking changes in the paternity suit filed by lawyer Rohit Shekhar, who is claiming to be his biological son.

Dismissing Tiwari’s application, Justice S Ravindra Bhat had then imposed a cost of Rs 75,000 on him.

Through his application, Tiwari had raised objections to the additional facts incorporated by Rohit Shekhar in his fresh paternity suit.

“Rohit should have sought the court’s permission to amend the suit with the new fact that he had tried to meet Tiwari at an airport in 2005,” said Tiwari in his application.

The apex court had earlier on May 10 dismissed Tiwari’s appeal challenging the verdict of the High Court to adjudicate the paternity suit.

The High Court had also 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 character.

Tiwari had quit as Andhra Pradesh Governor following allegations of his involvement in a sex scandal inside Raj Bhavan. (ANI)