Indian cricket icon MS Dhoni has accused business partners Mihir Diwakar and Soumya Vishwash of defrauding him of over Rs 15 crores in a major sports fraud case.
The former Indian captain filed a police complaint in a Ranchi court alleging the duo failed to honor the terms of a 2017 agreement made through their company Aarka Sports. He claims they did not pay the obligated franchise fee nor shared profits after setting up cricket academies under his name globally.
According to Dhoni’s lawyer Dayanand Singh, repeated attempts to resolve the issues and enforce the contractual conditions failed. A legal notice served in August 2021 was also ignored by Aarka Sports and its promoters. This finally prompted the cricketing superstar to initiate criminal proceedings against them.
The case also shed light on the shady dealings that even India’s most revered sporting icons get embroiled in. Dhoni’s close friend Simant Lohani revealed he endured threats and abuse from primary accused Mihir Diwakar when confronted over the dodgy deal and missing payments.
While the 42-year-old Dhoni spent New Year celebrations with family in Dubai, he seems set for a turbulent start to 2023 battling his former associates in court. The CSK captain was expected to lead his franchise again during the 2024 IPL season.
Meanwhile, injured star wicketkeeper Rishabh Pant has made public appearances with Dhoni, indicating he has recovered well from his horrific car crash in December 2022. As Dhoni fights for justice in the courtroom, cricket fans will hope Pant can make up for lost time terrorizing bowlers on the pitch again this year.
