New Delhi: In a setback for former union minister ND Tiwari, the Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered him to undergo a DNA test to ascertain the veracity of a young man's claim that he is his (Tiwari's) biological son.
The court observed that it cannot disregard the right of a child to know his or her biological father.
"There is imminent need for him to give blood sample to conduct the scientific test," directed Justice S Ravindra Bhat.
"It is not in the interest of the child to be declared a bastard," the court observed while turning down the 85-year-old Congress leader's plea that he cannot be forced to undergo the DNA test.
Tiwari has to appear before the joint registrar of Delhi High Court on February 8 with the DNA result.
A young man, Rohit Shekhar, had filed a petition in 2007 stating that he is Tiwari's biological son and should enjoy the right of using his father's name.
Shekhar was jubilant after the High Court's order.
"Justice has been delivered. This was the only route to justice. The court has differentiated between legitimacy, illegitimacy and paternity. They have said that Section 112 of the Evidence Act cannot prevent the court from ascertaining the truth of paternity," he said.
In his petition, 31-year-old Shekhar had demanded that Tiwari should be made to undergo a DNA test and publicly apologise and declare him as his son.
Tiwari has consistently denied having had any physical relationship with Rohit's mother Ujjwal Shekhar and said this was an effort to malign him.
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