Paternity case: ND Tiwari refuses to give blood sample for DNA test

New Delhi, June 1 (ANI): Veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari today refused to appear in a Delhi High Court dispensary to give his blood samples for a DNA test to ascertain the veracity of lawyer Rohit Shekhar, who is claiming to be his biological son.

Notwithstanding the May 10 orders of the Delhi High Court directing him to give his blood sample today, 85-year-old Tiwari in an application said: "Nobody can be pressurised to give evidence in this manner."

Tiwari's counsel made the submission to the Joint Registrar Deepak Garg seeking exemption from personal appearance and also from giving his blood sample.

The Joint Registrar has now referred the matter before the regular court on July 7 to decide Tiwari's plea for exemption.

Rohit Shekhar's counsel, however, vehemently opposed the plea saying N D Tiwari is trying to wriggle out of the judicial proceedings in an unfair manner.

The Joint Registrar had earlier asked all three - Tiwari, Rohit Shekhar and his mother Ujjwala Sharma - to appear in person on June 1, in the court's dispensary to give their blood samples for the requisite 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)

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