Veteran Congress leader and former Andhra Pradesh governor ND Tiwari has finally accepted a 34-year-old young man as his son, after a six-year-old court battle. "I have accepted that Rohit Shekhar is my son. The DNA also proved that he is my biological son," NDTV reported Tiwari as saying.
Claiming the 89-year-old hard-core politician as his biological father, Rohit had filed a paternity suit in Delhi High Court. The DNA mapping of Tiwari was done and it proved that Tiwari is the biological father of Rohit Shekhar. Based on the test, the court also established this on 27 July 2012, that Rohit is Tiwari's biological son. Tiwari had pleaded before the court not to reveal information on the paternity test.
Tiwari, when he was the governor of Andhra Pradesh from August 2007 to December 2009, was allegedly involved in a sex scandal. A video broadcast by ABN Andhra Jyothi, at that time, showed Tiwari in bed with three women at his official residence Raj Bhavan, resulting in his resignation from the Governor's post.
Tiwari also publicly acknowledged his relationship with Rohit Sekhar's mother Ujjwala Sharma, NDTV reported.
On the night of 2 February 2014, Tiwari called Rohit to his guest house in Delhi and interacted with him. Tiwari reportedly told Rohit that he was tired of the court trial. Tiwari reportedly said, "I am proud to associate with this great family of Rohit Shekhar.
Rohit filed the case against Tiwari in 2008 and claimed that he was born out of an affair between the Congress veteran and his mother. Rohit said Tiwari used to attend his birthdays and play with him during childhood. Now the son wanted Tiwari to acknowledge the fact and accept him as his son, which has been fulfilled now.
The trial was still going on in Delhi Court, but Rohit said now that he has got what he wanted. So, he wanted to convey the court about Tiwari's acceptance.
It was not so easy for Rohit in the court battle. The paternity test was done only after the Delhi High Court authorized the police to force Tiwari to give samples for DNA test. Tiwari had even gone to the Supreme Court to stop the paternity test, ordered by the High Court, but failed to stop the test. "What my mother and I went through...the scars, the pain, I don't want anyone else to go through. I hope we can heal the wounds," Rohit quoted as saying. He also said that he suffered a heart ailment and had been unable to sleep due to the legal battle.
When asked whether he would like to spend time with his son, Tiwari replied, "why not." Now Rohit wanted to spend more time with Tiwari and is ready to help his father in campaigning for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections also.
