IPL Betting Case: Madras High Court Asks Cricketer MS Dhoni To Pay ₹10 Lakh For Translating CDs Involved In His ₹100 Crore Defamation Case

The Madras High Court has asked cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni to pay Rs 10 lakh for translating old CDs involved in a Rs. 100 crore defamation suit filed by him over allegedly defamatory content against him in connection with the 2013 IPL betting scandal. Justice RN Manjula noted that translating and transcribing the contents of the CD was a humongous task which would take the entire time of an Interpreter and Typist for almost 3 to 4 months. The court fixed the entire cost of the process and asked Dhoni to pay the charges since he was obligated as the plaintiff. “In normal circumstances and in a suit filed by the plaintiff, it is the plaintiff who has to do the above work and file the documents along with his plaint. As the engagement of official Interpreter is needed in view of the extraneous circumstances and as mentioned in the earlier order dated 28.10.2025, it is obligatory on the part of the plaintiff to pay the cost of the job done,” the court said. The case pertains to a Rs.100 crore defamation suit filed by Dhoni in 2014 against Zee Media Corporation, Sudhir Chaudhary- Editor & Business Head of Zee News, IPS Officer G Sampath Kumar, and News Nation Network Pvt Ltd for allegedly linking him with the IPL betting scandal. In August 2025, the court had ordered the commencement of the trial and appointed an advocate commissioner for recording Dhoni's evidence. Though one of the defendants, IPS Officer G Sampath Kumar, had challenged the court's direction to appoint an Advocate Commissioner, his plea was rejected by the court, which wondered how Sampath would be prejudiced. The bench had noted that Dhoni was a national-level cricketer and his presence in court would create security issues. In one of the previous hearings, the parties had sought the court's permission to take copies of CDs that were in the court's custody. The parties also informed the court that the content of the CD, which was news clippings and debates inthe Hindi language, had to be translated. After consulting with the Registrar (IT), the court had allowed the parties to make copies. Now, the court has directed Dhoni to bear the cost of translation and transcription. Case Title: Mahendra Singh Dhoni v. Zee Media Corporation Limited Case No: CS 185 of 2014 Click Here To Read/Download The Order

IPL Betting Case: Madras High Court Asks Cricketer MS Dhoni To Pay ₹10 Lakh For Translating CDs Involved In His ₹100 Crore Defamation Case

Upasana Sajeev

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