Chennai: Former Indian cricket team skipper MS Dhoni's contempt of court plea against retired IPS officer G Sampath Kumar has been adjourned to August 31 by the Madras High Court on Thursday.
A division bench of the High Court comprising Justice M Sundar and Justice R Sakthivel, which was hearing the petition pointed out that Dhoni's civil suit against the former IPS officer was still pending in the court. The bench observed that it is "necessary to peruse the fair order given in that suit."
During the proceedings, Dhoni's counsel PS Raman requested time to file the fair order obtained in connection with the civil suit. The court accepted the request and posted the matter to August 31 for further hearing.
Senior counsel Perumbulavil Radhakrishnan, who was representing Sampath Kumar, submitted that the former IPS officer did not make any scandalous comments as claimed by Dhoni. The star cricketer had also filed a defamation suit seeking Rs 100 crore in damages from the retired IPS officer for allegedly dragging the cricketer's name in the infamous IPL betting scam investigation in 2014.
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Dhoni's contempt plea contends that the written statement provided by Sampath Kumar contained contumacious remarks against the Supreme Court and High Court and has forced him to seek criminal contempt action against the former officer. The court is likely to pore over the details of the statement in the upcoming hearing.
Raman said the retired officer has violated the orders of the Supreme Court and the High Court passed in connection with the IPL betting scam investigation. Radhakrishnan submitted that the application from Dhoni seeking permission to proceed with the contempt of court case was granted by the Advocate General, without hearing Sampath Kumar. The client had not given any opinion after court orders directing him to do so were issued.
