Madras High Court has directed the former Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni To pay Rs 10 lakh for transcription and translation of material related to the defamation suit filed against retired IPS officer G Sampathkumar. Dhoni has sought damages of Rs 100 crore from Sampathkumar, accusing him of wrongly linking him to the 2013 Indian Premier League (IPL) betting scam. Justice RN Manjula issued the direction while passing further interim orders on February 11.
In his order, the judge said that, as per the earlier direction dated October 28, 2025, the official interpreter of the court had undertaken the task of transcribing and translating the contents of some CDs produced in connection with the case. However, that order was conditional on payment of the requisite fee for the work.
The Court found that, according to the interpreter, the task was extensive and time-consuming. At least one interpreter and one typist will need to work for approximately three to four months to complete the transcription and translation. Considering the full-time involvement required, the total fee was fixed at Rs 10 lakh, with additional expenses for preparing copies of the material.
Justice Manjula further commented that, in a civil suit, it is generally the responsibility of the plaintiff to do such work and file the necessary documents before the court. Since the appointment of an official interpreter was necessary due to the specific circumstances mentioned in the earlier order, it was up to the plaintiff to bear the associated costs.
The court directed the interpreter to complete the transcription and translation of the CD before the third week of March 2026. It also ordered that a sum of Rs 10 lakh be deposited by Dhoni into the relief fund of the Chief Justice of Madras High Court on or before March 12, 2026. The matter has been listed for further hearing on March 12.
Talking about Dhoni, the legendary cricketer was last seen in action against Gujarat Titans (GT) during IPL 2025 and he is currently preparing for IPL 2026, which is scheduled to begin in the last week of March.
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