MS Dhoni To Deposit Rs 10 Lakh For CD Transcription In 2013 IPL Betting Defamation Suit, Orders Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has directed former Indian cricket captain MS Dhoni to deposit Rs 10 lakh towards the cost of transcribing and translating CDs relied upon in his 2014 civil defamation suit against Zee Media Corporation Ltd., IPS officer G. Sampath Kumar, News Nation Network and others over alleged statements linking him to the 2013 IPL betting and match-fixing controversy.

Justice Dr R.N. Manjula passed the order on February 11, 2026 in the 2014 suit, fixing the charges for transcription and translation at Rs 10,00,000 and directing that the amount be deposited into the Chief Justice Relief Fund, Madras High Court, on or before March 12, 2026.

Dhoni had instituted the suit in 2014 alleging that certain broadcasts and statements falsely associated him with the IPL betting and match-fixing scandal, thereby damaging his reputation. He has sought a permanent injunction restraining the defendants from making or publishing defamatory allegations and has claimed damages of Rs 100 crore.

During the course of proceedings, CDs forming part of the material relied upon by Dhoni were required to be transcribed and translated for the purpose of trial. By an earlier order dated October 28, 2025, the court had directed that the transcription and translation be undertaken, subject to payment of necessary charges.

In the present order, court recorded the submission of the official Interpreter that the exercise was a “humongous task”.

The Interpreter informed the court that completing the transcription and translation would require the full-time engagement of one Interpreter and a Typist for nearly three to four months, considering the volume and nature of the contents in the CDs.

Taking into account the time, manpower and additional expenditure involved in preparing the copies, court fixed the total cost at Rs 10 lakh. Court noted that in ordinary circumstances, it is the responsibility of the plaintiff to file documents in translated form along with the plaint.

However, in the present case, the engagement of the official court Interpreter was necessitated by extraneous circumstances referred to in the earlier order.

In view of this, court held that it was obligatory on the part of the plaintiff to bear the cost of the job undertaken.

Court further directed that the Interpreter complete the transcription and translation work before the third week of March 2026.

The matter has been listed on March 12, 2026, by which date the plaintiff is required to deposit the amount as directed.

Case Title: MS Dhoni vs Zee Media and Others

Order Date: February 11, 2026

Bench: Justice Dr R.N. Manjula