Madras High Court directs MS Dhoni to deposit Rs 10 lakh in Rs 100-crore defamation case

CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has directed Former Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni to deposit Rs 10 lakh for translating the contents of a CD submitted in connection with his Rs 100 crore defamation suit. The order was passed by Justice R. N. Manjula. Dhoni had filed the defamation case in 2014 against former IPS officer G. Sampath Kumar, Zee Media Corporation, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary, and News Nation Network. The case relates to allegations made during the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) betting controversy, in which Dhoni’s name was dragged in.

The court pointed out that even if only one interpreter and one typist are appointed to translate the contents of the CD, the process could take three to four months. Therefore, the court said the expenses related to the translation must be borne by the plaintiff. The interpreter section has estimated the cost at Rs 10 lakh. Dhoni has been directed to deposit the amount in the Chief Justice’s Relief Fund before March 12, 2026.

The trial in the case has been delayed for over 12 years due to multiple petitions filed by the parties seeking to be removed from the case. In December 2023, a division bench comprising Justices S S Sundar and Sundar Mohan found former IPS officer Sampath Kumar guilty of criminal contempt of court and sentenced him to 15 days in prison. In 2024, the Supreme Court stayed the sentence.