The Madras High Court has ordered former Indian cricket player MS Dhoni to pay ₹10 lakh to fund the transcription and translation of his electronic evidence in his defamation case, which demands ₹100 crore in damages. The long-running legal dispute, which began in 2014, returns to court for its scheduled trial.
Dhoni’s lawsuit targets retired IPS officer G. Sampath Kumar, Zee Media Corporation, and several others for allegedly linking him to the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) betting and match-fixing scandal. Dhoni pursued legal action because Hindi news channels and public discussions made accusations which he believed caused major harm to his public image.
Justice R.N. Manjula declared on February 11 that Dhoni, as the plaintiff, must pay all expenses incurred in producing official transcriptions and translations of audio and video CDs containing Hindi news clips and debates. The court’s interpreter section described the process as a “humongous task” that would require three to four months of dedicated work from an interpreter and a typist to complete.
The court requires the ₹10 lakh to be paid into the Chief Justice’s Relief Fund by March 12, 2026. The funds will be used to pay for an official interpreter and a typist to ensure proper handling of electronic evidence during court proceedings.
The trial will continue after an advocate commissioner is assigned to gather Dhoni’s testimony outside the courtroom. This arrangement was made to address security concerns, given Dhoni’s celebrity status and the heightened public interest in the case.
