Former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and governor of Andhra Pradesh ND Tiwari on Monday admitted that Rohit Shekhar was his biological son.
Shekhar had approached court against Tiwari in 2008, claiming he was born out of an affair between the Congress leader and his mother Dr Ujjwala Sharma.
In 2012, Tiwari was forced to give samples of his DNA for a paternity test which established he had fathered Shekhar.
But in March last year, the senior Congress leader denied having "any kind of relations with the youth's mother" and said the paternity suit is a "political conspiracy" by his opponents.
"I was not having any kind of relations with Ujjwala Sharma, especially physical, emotional or even sexual," Tiwari had told a commissioner appointed by the court.
Video: ND Tiwari accepts Rohit as his son: Rohit says he is surprised
However, on Monday, he said, "I accept him (Rohit) as my son. It was already proved two years ago when my DNA matched with his. I am proud of my association with this great family. Whatever it has been, I want to put the matter at rest and publicly accept him as my biological son."
Tiwari's admission came a day after the mother-son duo met him at Uttarakhand Sadan in New Delhi on Sunday. During the meeting, which went on till 2.30 am, the 89-year-old Tiwari acknowledged Rohit as his son, Sharma said.
"I had come to know from his associates that he had come to Delhi for a routine check up at AIIMS. I went to meet him," said Sharma.
"He said he was tired of fighting and even I could feel the stress and the emotional upheaval he was going through. I told him that even Rohit was suffering. It was then that he expressed his desire to meet Rohit," Sharma said.
"I am happy that ND Tiwari has finally accepted the fact that I am his son. We would have anyway won the case on April 21," said Shekhar. TV channels showed Tiwari lovingly touching Shekhar's face.
Read: ND Tiwari says Rohit not his biological son