IPL match-fixing case: Dhoni approaches HC seeking action against TN cop

CHENNAI: Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni has filed a contempt petition before the Madras High Court to punish IPS officer G Sampath Kumar under section 15 of the Contempt of Courts Act alleging that the officer made several defamatory statements in his written affidavit before the High Court in connection with the alleged betting, match fixing, or spot-fixing in the cricket matches.

According to Dhoni, he filed a suit before the HC in 2014 and got an order restraining several people including the IPS officer from making defamatory comments against the cricketer in connection with alleged charges of betting, match-fixing, and spot-fixing of cricket matches.

“After filing the written statement of the respective parties, issues were framed in the suit by this Court on September 8, 2021. Thereafter, the respondent herein filed a suit in 2021 seeking permission to file an additional written statement. Upon perusing the aforesaid additional written statement filed by the respondent officer, I found that there are scandalous and contumacious statements made by G Sampath Kumar, IPS, in the aforementioned additional written statement. It is my respectful submission that such statements amount to Criminal Contempt,” the cricketer said in his affidavit.

Dhoni alleged that the officer had stated in the written affidavit that the Supreme Court deviated from its focus on the Rule of Law and shelved the deposition kept in a certain sealed cover. “The defendant officer further said that for reasons best known to the SC, it chose to keep in a sealed cover a select portion of the report of the Justice Mudgal's Committee (which was constituted by the Hon'ble Supreme Court), that needed to be probed by a Special Investigation Team, ” Dhoni added.

The cricketer also noted that apart from the above scandalous and contumacious statements made against the Supreme Court, the IPS officer Also maligned, disrespected, and scandalized the High Court, Madras, and made false allegations against designated Senior Counsels of the Hon'ble High Court, Madras. “Furthermore, the 3rd Defendant has also scandalized the venerated office of the Advocate General of Tamil Nadu and has interfered with the administration of justice,” he said.

Dhoni noted that he filed a consent application before the AG’s office and after getting the consent of the AG, the cricketer had chosen to file this contempt petition.