Delhi HC issues contempt notice to ND Tiwari for refusing blood sample

Veteran Congress leader ND Tiwari was today asked by the Delhi High Court to explain why it should not launch contempt of court proceeding against him for his deliberate disobedience of its order to give his blood sample for DNA test to determine a youth's paternity.

"Why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against defendant (Tiwari) for his deliberate, wilful disobedience of the court's order", Justice Gita Mittal said issuing the contempt notice to Tiwari.

The court issued the notice to Tiwari four days after conceding that the 85-year-old leader cannot be compelled to give his blood sample for DNA test as per the court's last year order.

While issuing the notice to Tiwari, Justice Mittal also referred to her last week's order in which she had taken on record Tiwari's refusal to comply with court's previous direction to provide his blood sample for DNA test.

"The refusal by Tiwari to submit blood sample is wilful, malafide, unreasonable and unjustified. Such refusal is taken on record," Justice Mittal had said in her September 23 order referring to Tiwari's persistent refusal to give his blood sample.

The court issued the contempt notice to Tiwari on a plea by city youth Rohit Shekhar, who claims to be Tiwari's biological son born out of the veteran politician's relationship with Ujjwala Sharma.

Shekhar had in July this year moved the high court for initiation of contempt proceedings against Tiwari for his non-compliance with the court's December 2010 order directing the Congress leader to provide his blood sample to ascertain his claim that Tiwari is Rohit's biological father.