 "MS Dhoni will soon be recording his statement in the defamation case filed by him. Image: Reuters")
MS Dhoni’s Rs 100 crore defamation case filed by him in 2014 is set to go for trial after a Madras High Court order on Monday. The former India captain Dhoni will soon be required to record his statement. The Madras High Court’s Justice CV Karthikeyan has also appointed an advocate commissioner for Dhoni’s personal appearance in the court, as his presence in the Court could lead to chaos due to his celebrity status.
The defamation case was filed by Dhoni in 2014 when he was still the captain of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) franchise in the Indian Premier League (IPL). He captained CSK last season as well, but as a replacement for the injured Ruturaj Gaikwad.
Why did Dhoni file defamation case?
In the defamation case, Dhoni had sought damages of Rs 100 crore from the defendants. The case was filed against Zee Media Corporation, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary, retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer G Sampath Kumar and News Nation Network. It was filed for allegedly making defamatory remarks against Dhoni about the 2013 Indian Premier League betting case.
As a result of the betting scandal, CSK was suspended from the IPL for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. CSK owner N Srinivasan’s son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, was also arrested in connection with the betting scandal, but he was later found ’not guilty’ by the Mumbai police.
Why was the trial delayed by 11 years?
As per The Hindu, the trial in Dhoni’s defamation case got delayed over 10 years due to “multiple applications taken out by the parties seeking one relief or another.”
The report further added that Dhoni will be available for examination and cross-examination between 20 October and 10 December 2025.
“The above request is made with the intent to avoid any undue delay (in disposal of the suit pending in the High Court for over a decade) and to support the fair, just, and speedy adjudication of the suit. I state that I shall extend my full co-operation with the Advocate Commissioner and comply with all directions issued by this honourable court regarding the trial and the recording of evidence,” Dhoni’s affidavit read.