Veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari,who has held the offices of chief minister and governor,was on Thursday ordered by the Delhi High Court to undergo a DNA test to fulfil the right to know the parenthood of a man claiming to be his biological son. Delivering the setback to Tiwari,86,the court ruled the evidence adduced by the claimant indicated a strong prima facie case,suggesting eminent need to issue the directions for the scientific examination into the latters paternity. Justice S Ravindra Bhat,while asking Tiwari to appear before the Joint Registrar of the court on February 8 for complying with his orders,noted in his 24-page order: This court cannot disregard the interests of the child in this regard to know his biological roots. This right to know can be enforced through reliable scientific tests,absent any overriding concern that directing such tests are not in the best interests of the child. In this case,the plaintiff is a major,capable of taking his decisions,and there is no question of his welfare being adversely affected,by an order,that would facilitate determination of his true biological roots. Rohit Shekhar (31),son of former Congress worker and Delhi University lecturer Ujjwala Sharma,had in 2007 filed a petition seeking a DNA test on Tiwari and a declaration that Tiwari was his biological father. Shekhar,in his petition,had annexed several photographs showing Tiwari with him at several occasions and had filed the DNA test result of his mothers estranged husband indicating he was not the latters son. Tiwari had dismissed his physical relation with Shekhars mother and dubbed the petition as a deep rooted criminal conspiracy to defame,tarnish his image and to harm his reputation as a public figure and that it is also a tool used with the sinister design of grabbing his property. The court dismissed Tiwaris argument that a direction for a DNA test was an invasion into his privacy and hence,a violation of his fundamental right to life,saying the Supreme Court has already discarded this argument in a different case and that keeping in view the materials produced by Shekhar,prima facie there appears to be some consistency or pattern in his behaviour; he is definitely seen as a close friend of the family,with a special fondness for the plaintiff. The next date of hearing in the matter is May 6,2011. In the meantime,Tiwari has been directed to furnish his DNA sample on a date and time to be designated by the Joint Registrar,after ascertaining details from Centre for Cellular & Molecular Biology,Hyderabad. The institution has been asked to furnish the report to the court within six weeks of receiving the samples. Speaking to The Indian Express,Shekhar said: It is a very progressive judgment by the court and we (I and my mother) are extremely happy.
