Won't give blood sample: Tiwari

Veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari will appear before Delhi High Court today and give his blood samples for a DNA test to ascertain the veracity of lawyer Rohit Shekhar, who is claiming to be his biological son.

New Delhi

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Veteran Congress leader N D Tiwari today refused to appear in a Delhi high court dispensary to give his blood sample for DNA test to ascertain a youth's claim of being his biological son, saying that he cannot be forced to do so.

Notwithstanding the high court's May 10 order directing him to give his blood sample today, he said in an application that "Nobody can be pressurised to give evidence in this manner". The counsel for the 85-year-old leader made the submission to the Joint Registrar Deepak Garg seeking exemption from personal appearance and also from giving his blood sample.

The Joint Registrar has now referred the matter before the regular court on July 7 to decide Tiwari's plea for exemption. The counsel for 31-year-old Rohit Shekhar, who claims to be Tiwari's son, however, 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," Rohit's counsel said. Meanwhile, Tiwari deposited with the court Rs 25,000, as fine imposed on him during an earlier judicial proceeding.