The Madras High Court has ordered a trial in the Rs 100 crore defamation case filed by former Indian captain MS Dhoni, according to media reports. Dhoni’s statement will be recorded through the advocate commissioner to avoid crowding and chaos. Dhoni has stated that he will be available for cross-examination on October 20 and December 10.
What is the Case?
About 10 years ago, MS Dhoni filed a Rs 100 crore defamation suit against some media organisations and journalists. The Madras High Court has now permitted the matter to proceed. Dhoni filed the case in 2014 against two major media channels, seeking Rs 100 crore in damages. At the time, it was alleged that comments made during a TV debate on the 2013 IPL betting scandal were intended to damage his image and reputation.
What is the Background?
The investigation into spot-fixing in the 2013 IPL had a significant impact on the tournament, affecting two teams—Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR)—as well as several players. CSK and RR were banned for two years (2016 and 2017) following recommendations from the Justice Lodha Committee.
High-profile names like then BCCI president N. Srinivasan’s son-in-law and CSK official Gurunath Meiyappan, along with Raj Kundra, husband of actress Shilpa Shetty, were embroiled in the controversy, further damaging the IPL’s image. Three Rajasthan Royals players—S. Sreesanth, Ankit Chavan, and Ajit Chandila—were also arrested.
As captain of the Chennai team, MS Dhoni was inevitably impacted. Dhoni, who holds the record for the most matches played (278) and most matches won (100) in the IPL, had to play for the Pune franchise for two years instead of Chennai. However, no allegations were ever proven against Dhoni personally. His side claims that many media organisations crossed the line while commenting on him during that period.
The trials in this case are now expected to proceed swiftly. To facilitate this, Justice C.V. Karthikeyan has appointed an advocate commissioner. The commissioner will record witnesses, evidence, and statements on behalf of MS Dhoni. In his affidavit, Dhoni stated that he will follow the court’s and commissioner’s instructions and expressed his desire that the trial not be delayed.