N D Tiwari moves SC against paternity suit

NEW DELHI - Former Andhra Pradesh Governor and veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court’s order to undergo a DNA test on a paternity suit filed by lawyer Rohit Shekhar, who is claiming to be his biological son.

85-year-old Tiwari pleaded before the apex court that there was an error of law committed by the High Court in directing him to undergo the test.

The Delhi High Court had on February 7 refused to stay its earlier order asking Tiwari to undergo a DNA test.

A division bench comprising Justices Vikramajit Sen and Siddharth Mridul refused to give any relief to Tiwari, while reserving its order on an appeal by him against the High Court’s earlier order by a single-judge bench.

Tiwari approached the Delhi High Court on January 24 and challenged the High Court’s single-bench order of December 23 asking the leader to undergo DNA test.

The court had on December 23 last year turned down the plea of 85-year-old Tiwari 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.

The Delhi High Court had on November 12 last year dismissed veteran 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 Shekhar.

The apex court had on May 10 last year 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)