Paternity row: ND Tiwari brushes off demand for DNA test

Veteran Congress leader ND Tiwari, appearing before the Delhi High Court today, stuck to his stand of not giving his blood sample for a DNA test in a paternity suit filed by a 31-year-old man claiming to be his biological son.

Filing a personal affidavit before Justice Gita Mittal, the former Andhra Pradesh governor stated that he was not willing to give his blood sample for the DNA test.

After perusal of the affidavit, the court asked Tiwari's counsel "Don't you think that DNA test will vindicate completely your stand that you have not sired the plaintiff?"

"I achieved an unblemished public career which justifies me to contest against the plaintiff who is bent upon tarnishing my public image by bringing false cause and even unwarranted contempt petition so as to get undue publicity in print as well as electronic media," Tiwari stated in his affidavit.

"In order to preserve, protect and defend my personal dignity attained by my long cherished service to the nation as well as Indian society, I being a senior citizen too, I am not willing to give my blood sample for DNA testing. Hence, I may not be compelled to do so," says Tiwari's affidavit.

Earlier, the court had slammed the leader for filing his affidavit through a lawyer contending that no person could be compelled to give a blood sample for DNA test.

The paternity suit against the 87-year-old Congress leader has been filed by one Rohit Shekhar, who claims to be the politician's biological son.

Referring to the affidavit, Justice Mittal said "If you are so confident and upright in public life and you are a law graduate then you should know that it is not a matter of article 20 (right to privacy)".

The court further said "You (Tiwari) state categorically that you refused to come, then I will deal with it accordingly" and posted the matter for further hearing to July 28.

Meanwhile, Rohit's counsel submitted that Tiwari's 'personal affidavit' is an abuse of law. He should be taken into custody and blood be drawn.

"This is a civil contempt and sample must be given even in detention. The application of Tiwari in this form is absolutely wrong," argued Rohit's counsel.

The court had earlier directed Tiwari to file another affidavit taking a stand whether he was present or not in the photographs shown to him.

Tiwari's five-decade political career virtually ended in 2009 after a news channel showed explicit clippings of an elderly man purported to be him with three young women in bed when he was Andhra Pradesh Governor. A few days later, Tiwari resigned on health grounds.