Paternity case: SC allows use of force to get Tiwari’s DNA sample

The Delhi High Court today ordered its registrar to take police assistance if necessary to bring veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari to the capital in order to extract a blood sample for a paternity test.

The paternity case against Tiwari (86), a former Uttarakhand chief minister and subsequently governor of Andhra Pradesh, has been filed by 32-year-old Rohit Shekhar, who claims to be his son. The court ordered a DNA test on 27 April; but Tiwari has since then been dodging all attempts to collect a blood sample – leading to obvious conclusions about his guilt.

Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri of the high court said that if Tiwari continued to defy the court's order to give his blood sample for DNA test, police force would be used against him. Justice Reva Khetrapal Dutt, the other member of the bench, reprimanded Tiwari for "open contempt of court" because of his attempts to duck the paternity test.

The bench said that court officials assisted by the police would ensure that blood samples are collected from Tiwari as well as Shekehar and his mother, Ujjwala.

Shekhar in his plea has said that time is of the essence considering Tiwari's age; and irreparable loss would be caused to him if the samples were not collected at the earliest. There was an urgent need of blood sample for DNA test as there were chances that Tiwari may depart from India in order to avoid the court order, Shekhar said.

Apparently, Shekhar is not seeking any monetary or other compensation; he is merely seeking to clarify his paternity.

Tiwari has for some time now been dogged by allegations of libidinous behaviour, particularly during his tenure as chief minister of Uttarakhand.