The Supreme Court today asked the trial judge to frame issues in a paternity suit filed against veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari by a man claiming to be his biological son.
A bench headed by chief justice K G Balakrishnan also made it clear that the issues be framed without being influenced by the observations made by the single judge and division benches of the Delhi high court.
It also said that if an application is made for in-camera hearing, it may be considered by the trial judge.
During the hearing, senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the senior Congress leader, vehemently opposed the idea of subjecting 84-year-old Tiwari to a DNA test.
He alleged that the law suit has been filed to malign and tarnish the image of Tiwari and for "cheap" media publicity.
However, P S Patwaria, counsel for Rohit Shekhar, who claims to be Tiwari's biological son, contended that the issue would be settled once the court permits the DNA test.
The Congress veteran had to resign as Andhra Pradesh governor after he was purportedly shown in a compromising position with three women in a sting operation by a TV channel in December last year.
Tiwari had approached the apex court against the high court decision of adjudicating the paternity suit.
Shekhar, grandson of a former Union minister, had filed the suit claiming he was born out of a relationship between his mother Ujjwala Sharma and Tiwari, a charge denied by the Congress leader.
Tiwari, in an affidavit filed before the Delhi high court, had categorically refused to undergo the DNA test in the paternity row.
The high court had also sought a "specific" response on each of the more than 100 photographs, placed before it, in which Tiwari is purportedly seen with Shekhar and his mother on various occasions since his birth.
