Delhi HC to hear on Jan 29, defamation suit filed against Dhoni by his ex-Business partners

NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court on Thursday listed hearing for January 29 the defamation suit against former Indian cricket team captain MS Dhoni filed by his ex-business partners and asked the registry and plaintiff to intimate the cricketer and others about the suit.

The bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh heard the matter and directed that an intimation of filing the suit be given to the cricketer and the concerned law firm representing him.

Former business partners of MS Dhoni and Plaintiff Mihir Diwakar and his wife Saumya Das have filed the suit for the issuance of directions to restrain MS Dhoni from publishing any defamatory and malicious statements against them, alleging that the duo illegally gained Rs 15 crore from the cricketer.

The suit stated that the plaintiffs are reputable businesspeople with an untarnished reputation and are well respected by their contemporaries and industry peers. The plaintiffs hold the unblemished, untarnished, and impeccable reputation of being honest and upright citizens.

In addition, Plaintiff Mihit Diwakar holds a reputation as a sportsperson, having represented the country internationally as he played 39 first-class games between 1999 and 2009. He was also part of India's squad for the 2000 Under-19 Cricket World Cup.

The suit stated that the defendant, MS Dhoni, was a close friend and business partner of the plaintiffs; however, recently, their friendship underwent a misunderstanding as a result of certain disputes regarding the Memorandum of Understanding and Letter of Authorization dated May 17, 2017. In addition, as a result of the said dispute, MS Dhoni issued a legal notice dated February 4, 2023, to the plaintiffs, alleging that they had committed a breach of the agreement between the parties. It is a matter of record to note that no allegation of cheating of Rs. 15 crore was made by the defendant against the plaintiffs in the said legal notice, as stated in the suit. The said legal notice dated 04.02.2023 was also aptly replied to by the plaintiffs via their reply notice dated 02.03.2023. Now, the Defendant MS Dhoni, through a Power of Attorney holder Seemant Lohani, has filed a complaint dated October 27, 2023, before the court of the Judicial Magistrate, Ranchi, in Jharkhand, alleging the Plaintiffs as accused and claiming that the Plaintiffs cheated the Defendant to the tune of Rs. 15 crores. The said allegations are made without any basis or evidence, with the sole intention of tarnishing and maligning the reputations of the plaintiffs. The allegations made against the plaintiffs are wild, false, baseless, vindictive, malicious and unfounded. This is the first time that the defendant has claimed such an amount against the plaintiffs. The allegations made by the defendant against the plaintiffs are per se defamatory, ex-facie false and without any basis whatsoever, as stated in the suit.