Defamation Suit Filed By Former Business Partner Mihir Diwakar Not Maintainable: MS Dhoni To Delhi High Court

Cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Monday told the Delhi High Court that the defamation suit filed against him by his former business partner Mihir Diwakar is not maintainable.

Diwakar and his wife have filed the suit to restrain Dhoni from publishing defamatory and malicious statements against them alleging that the duo illegally gained Rs.15 crores from the cricketer.

The suit has been filed against Meta, X (formerly Twitter), Google, YouTube and 30 media houses and web portals.

Dhoni's counsel appeared before Justice Prathiba M Singh and submitted that the suit was not maintainable against his client and that the cricketer had merely filed a case against Diwakar in Ranchi.

“The petition is not maintainable against me. I've just filed a case in Ranchi,” the counsel submitted.

The counsel appearing for Diwakar submitted that the media reports were not fair as his client has already been labelled as a thug and thief.

Advocate Siddhant Kumar, ANI's counsel, relied upon a judgment to argue that unless specific allegations against each of the defendants is not set out in the plaint, the same would not be maintainable. He also said that the territorial jurisdiction is also under challenge in the matter.

The court then asked Diwakar's counsel to take steps to set out allegations against the defendants and listed the matter for hearing next on April 03.

Diwakars claim that the allegations made against them by Dhoni are without any basis, “wild, false, baseless, vindictive, malicious and unfounded.” They are also aggrieved by a press conference held by Dhoni's lawyer on January 06 where the said allegations were presented before the media. The suit submits that the same was done with an intention to cause irreparable and grave injury to them.

A criminal complaint has also been filed by Dhoni against Diwakar which is pending in a court in Ranchi.

In 2017, an Authorization letter was issued in favour of Diwakar's company, Aarka Sports Management Authority Pvt Ltd, for MS Dhoni Cricket Academy in pursuance of a Memorandum of Understanding to establish a chain of cricket academies and sports complexes.

In August 2021, the said letter was revoked vide an email by an unknown third party, as per the suit.

The suit further states that till date, no official letter of revocation of has been received by Diwakar and thus, the email cannot be understood a legal and valid revocation in law.

Title: Mihir Diwakar & Anr. v. Mahendra Singh Dhoni & Ors.