High Court directs ND Tiwari to undergo paternity test

NEW DELHI - The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari to undergo a DNA test to ascertain the veracity of Rohit Shekhar’s claim that he is his biological son.

The court observed that it cannot disregard the right of a child to know his or her biological father.

“There is imminent need for him to give blood sample to conduct the scientific test,” directed Justice S Ravindra Bhat.

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

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 Rohit Shekhar.

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.

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