Chennai: The Madras High Court on Monday appointed an Advocate Commissioner for recording of evidences and ordered commencement of trial in the Rs 100-crore defamation suit filed by iconic cricketer, former Indian skipper and CSK leader M.S. Dhoni for dragging his name in the IPL betting scam.
Hearing the plea after taking a sworn affidavit filed by Dhoni's counsel on record, Mr Justice C.V. Karthikeyan appointed an advocate commissioner--to be named from the list available with the court--to record the evidence of the cricketer in Chennai between October 20 and December 10 this year.
He also ordered the commencement of trial in the case.
The defamation suit was filed by Dhoni in 2014 against Zee Media Corporation, journalist Sudhir Chaudhary, retired Police Officer G. Sampath Kumar, and News Nation Network for having dragged his name in to the IPL betting scam.
Appointing the Advocate Comissioner, Mr Justice Karthikeyan directed him to record the evidence of Dhoni on mutually convenient premises, to all the parties involved and their counsel, in Chennai.
The advocate commissioner was appointed as Mr. Dhoni’s personal appearance for the examination in chief as well as cross-examination could lead to chaos considering that he was a celebrity.
The orders were passed after senior counsel P.R. Raman submitted an sworn affidavit by Dhoni expressing his intent to proceed with the trial in the defamation suit pending since 2014.
Inthe affidavit, Dhoni said he would be available for examination as well as cross-examination between October 20, 2025, and December 10, 2025, and that the venue and specific dates could be fixed on the basis of mutual convenience, while promising to extend his fullest co-operation and comply with the Court directions regarding the trial and the recording of evidence.
After taking the affidavit on record and appointing the Advocate Commissioner, the Court listed the case for next hearing after completion of the recording of evidence.
