On Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the Madras High Court rejected an appeal from retired IPS officer G. Sampath Kumar. This ruling affirms the appointment of an advocate commissioner to record cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s testimony in a significant ₹100 crore defamation lawsuit. Dhoni filed the suit after his name was controversially linked to the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) betting scandal.
A Division Bench, comprising Justices S.M. Subramaniam and Mohammed Shaffiq, denied the appeal, stating that Dhoni’s physical presence at the High Court would necessitate extensive security measures. Therefore, they found no fault in arranging for an advocate commissioner to take his evidence at an alternative location.
The Division Bench further clarified that Justice C.V. Karthikeyan’s August 11 appointment of the advocate commissioner adhered fully to established legal procedures, with no irregularities found. They assured that this alternative arrangement for recording Mr. Dhoni’s evidence would not disadvantage the appellant.
The court also stipulated that Mr. Dhoni’s testimony would be taken in the presence of Mr. Sampath Kumar or his legal representative, who would also have the opportunity to cross-examine the cricketer. Additionally, the Bench removed several inappropriate comments made by the appellant against the judiciary in his affidavit, following objections raised by Mr. Dhoni’s senior counsel, P.R. Raman.
Unconditional Apology Accepted
The Division Bench accepted the retired IPS officer’s unconditional apology and removed the controversial remarks. Mr. Kumar had informed the court that in 2013, while serving as Superintendent of Police, ‘Q’ Branch CID (Internal Security), he uncovered a cricket betting syndicate and a network of bookies during an investigation into a fake passport scam.
He asserted that his investigation team questioned a key figure in Chennai who revealed the full extent of the match-fixing operation. Subsequently, he provided testimony to the Justice Mudgal Committee, established by the Supreme Court to probe the matter. Mr. Kumar also alleged that he became the target of a sting operation by a television journalist, which ultimately led to the current defamation suit.
According to Mr. Kumar, the television journalist recorded their discussion about cricket betting and broadcast the footage on February 23, 2014. Immediately after this broadcast, Mr. Dhoni initiated the defamation lawsuit, demanding a substantial ₹100 crore in damages from Mr. Kumar, the journalist involved, and the television channels that broadcast the segments.
In August of the current year, Justice Karthikeyan noted that the lawsuit had been stalled for ten years without significant progress and therefore mandated the immediate commencement of trial. He appointed an advocate commissioner to oversee Mr. Dhoni’s examination and cross-examination at a mutually agreed location. Challenging this order, Mr. Kumar argued that all litigants should be treated equally, and celebrities should not receive preferential treatment.