Madras High Court orders trial for MS Dhoni's INR 100 crore defamation case after 10 years

Nearly a decade later, the Madras High Court has ordered the commencement of the trial in legendary Indian captain MS Dhoni's INR 100 crore defamation case after his name was linked to the infamous 2013 IPL betting scandal. The court has appointed an advocate commissioner to record the former India captain’s testimony in Chennai between October 20 and December 10, 2025.

The 2013 IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal witnessed several players being found guilty of spot-fixing. Two franchises, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals, were suspended for two years due to the betting activities of their officials. Though Dhoni, then captain of CSK and the Indian team, was never charged, his name was mentioned in certain media debates and reports, leading him to file a defamation suit in 2014.

Dhoni’s evidence to be recorded at mutually agreed location

The lawsuit, filed against Zee Media Corporation, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary, retired IPS officer G. Sampath Kumar, and News Nation Network, sought INR 100 crore in damages for allegedly making defamatory remarks and linking him to the scandal without evidence.

On August 11, 2025, Justice C.V. Karthikeyan ordered that Dhoni’s evidence be recorded by an advocate commissioner at a mutually agreed location rather than in open court. Senior counsel P.R. Raman, representing Dhoni, submitted an affidavit mentioning the need to avoid further delays in a case pending for over a decade. 

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“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," the affidavit read.

Meanwhile, the trial’s progress had been hampered for several years due to multiple applications and procedural challenges filed by various parties. Furthermore, the Ranchi-born retired from international cricket in August 2020, but he continues to play for CSK in the IPL.