MS Dhoni to appear in High Court for CSK. Image Credits: AFP
MS Dhoni’s long-standing legal battle is inching closer to its conclusion in the Madras High Court after over a decade of being prolonged. The infamous defamation lawsuit was filed by the former India captain in 2014, but several legal interventions and applications have led to the delay.
However, according to the latest reports, MS Dhoni could be seen appearing before the Madras High Court campus in the coming days to provide the required evidence in the proceedings.
What is the Court Case involving MS Dhoni?
Back in 2013, the infamous IPL betting and spot-fixing scandal had the Chennai Super Kings Team Principal Gurunath Meiyappan involved in it. It also led to his arrest by the Mumbai Police in the middle of the season.
Gurunath Meiyappan’s involvement in the spot-fixing and betting scandal also drew MS Dhoni’s name into it, due to their close association in the franchise.
One of the officers involved in the investigation of the scandal, retired IPS officer Sampath Kumar, provided a deposition to the Supreme Court-appointed Mudgal Committee.
Following his report, serious allegations of fixing were made against MS Dhoni, leading to a ₹100-Crore Defamation Suit in 2014. It was against the officer and the media organisations, adding fuel to the fire.
According to Sampath Kumar, he was making his statements in his official capacity as an investigating officer on the scandal. Hence, he should not be liable for a defamation suit.
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Why could MS Dhoni appear in the Madras High Court?
The 2014 lawsuit has already been stretched for about 12 years now. In the meantime, Dhoni continued representing India and Chennai Super Kings in the IPL, while also ending his international career in 2019.
The player remained unaffected by the off-the-field matters. However, as per the latest development, Sampath Kumar has filed three separate applications, seeking MS Dhoni’s evidence in the presence of the court. This was when Justice Thilakavadi was dealing with the case in court.
Following over a decade of preliminary proceedings, and as per reports, Dhoni could soon be directed to appear before the High Court campus. There is no official word sent out to Dhoni, as things stand.
Furthermore, the court will also need to work on the player’s security arrangements, considering his image and fame.
Notably, in the same issue, he also filed a defamation case against Zee Media, and now the Madras High Court has asked the former India wicketkeeper batter to deposit INR 10 lakh as cost of covering the expenses of transcribing and translating CDs relied upon in the case.
MS Dhoni involved in multiple legal battles
Over the years, with the incredible fame that the sporting achievements have brought to MS Dhoni, he has also been involved in some very public legal battles.
Apart from the defamation lawsuit mentioned above, he has accused his former business partner Mihir Diwakar and Aarka Sports of cheating in 2023, while also being on the other side in the 2019 Amrapali Group dispute.
The Amrapali dispute is widely talked about in public, considering he was the brand ambassador of the real-estate company named Amrapali Group. The homebuyers were never delivered, and Amrapali collapsed. Dhoni also claimed that he had around INR 40 crore in unpaid endorsement fees from his association with the group.
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