Cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni has filed a contempt of court petition in the Madras High Court against Indian Police Service officer G Sampath Kumar, who had investigated the Indian Premier League spot-fixing and betting scandal of 2013, Bar and Bench reported reported on Friday.
Dhoni has accused Kumar of making derogatory remarks against the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court.
The cricketer had previously lodged a defamation suit against Kumar and a television channel in 2014 over statements alleging that Dhoni was involved in betting and match-fixing in the Indian Premier League, according to The Hindu.
Kumar filed his written response in the case in 2021.
In his plea filed on Thursday, Dhoni contended that Kumar had made “scandalous and contumacious” statements against the judiciary in his response.
According to Dhoni, Kumar claims that the Supreme Court kept certain portions of the report prepared by the Justice Mudgal Committee – which conducted an inquiry into the match-fixing allegations – in a sealed cover and did not provide it to the Special Investigation Team looking into the case, Live Law reported.
Dhoni argued that Kumar’s statement suggested that the decision to keep the report in sealed cover was intentional. The cricketer also alleged that Kumar made accusations against the office of advocate general and designated senior advocated of the Madras High Court in hisstatement.
“I submit that the statements…made by him [Kumar] in his additional written statement lowers the authority of the court and also has the effect of interfering and obstructing the administration of justice,” the cricketer said in his plea, according to ANI.
On Friday, Dhoni’s plea was listed before a bench of Justice PN Prakash and Justice RMT Teeka Raman, but could not come for admission. It is likely to be heard next week.
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