N D Tiwari says he can't be forced to give blood sample

NEW DELHI: Veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari, facing paternity suit of a 31-year-old man claiming to be his biological son, today told the Delhi High Court that he cannot be forced to appear and give his blood sample to decide the case.

85-year-old Tiwari, who was earlier asked to give his blood sample as he failed to get relief from the the High Court and the Supreme Court, moved an application saying "nobody can be pressurized to give evidence in this manner".

The application, filed by lawyer Bahar U Barqi, said none of the courts had asked Tiwari to give his blood sample "compulsorily" to decide the paternity suit.

Citing national and international laws on forcing a person to give evidence in a civil case, Barqi said it was against the basic principles of natural justice.

Joint Registrar Deepak Garg placed the matter before the regular court to decide the fresh application of Tiwari.

Tiwari, who had held the post of chief minister of undivided Uttar Pradesh and later of Uttarakhand, along with Rohit Shekhar and his mother Ujjwala Sharma was ordered to appear and give their blood samples.

However, the counsel for Rohit, vehemently opposed the plea saying the Congress leader is "trying to wriggle out of the judicial proceedings in an unfair manner."

"Not only the single-judge bench of the Delhi High Court but also its division bench and even the Supreme Court have asked Tiwari to undergo the DNA test on the ground that the crucial evidence in the case may be lost forever because of the fact that he is 85-year-old," the counsel said.